A recent episode of the variety show University (大學生了沒) discussing “girls from the south” has roused ire from a number of netizens, who accused the show of being prejudiced against people from southern Taiwan.
The episode, aired on Wednesday, invited women from southern Taiwan to discuss the differences between women in northern and southern Taiwan. During the show, clothing, makeup, accent and bearing were compared, all at the expense of women from southern Taiwan.
At one point, a voice-over described the make-up of the women from southern Taiwan as “having a thick rural southern feel (下港味) to it.”
“I was so mad [at that comment] I wanted to slam my TV,” a Netizen said.
“I really don’t know what we people in southern Taiwan have done wrong to you people. Was that really necessary?” another netizen asked.
IT’S THE BRAS
One of the participants in the show, with the stage name Jui Mie Mie (睿咩咩), said that “the difference between Taipei and the south” was the fact that Taipei women wear Nu Bras and Party Bras and accentuated their cleavage, while women in the south wear “old grandma lingerie” and do not know how to accentuate their cleavage.
Some netizens were incensed by her remarks. Some said the comments objectified women, while another fired back: “Are you kidding me? Girls in the south also wear Nu Bras and accentuate their cleavage! It’s not that we don’t do it, it’s because we have class!”
About one month ago, the show also caused a ruckus when one participant on the show made a controversial comment describing Taitung as a place that is “great in scenery and also dull.”
MOLDY BRAINS
It prompted netizens to joke that the show should change its name to “Yet Unborn Brain” (大腦生了沒) or “Brain that Grows Mold” (大腦發了霉).
The show’s comments prompted one netizen, Fang Kai-yuan (方凱沅), to launch a Facebook page called “We’re all Taiwanese just the same, but Southern Taiwanese are more ‘special?’”
Everyone loves Taiwan, and Taiwanese should not be prejudiced toward one another, he said.
As of press time, the page has garnered the support of more than 30,000 netizens in less than two days.
In response, the show’s producer Liang Ting-hao (梁庭豪) said the show’s intention was to have the participants discuss the general public’s “stereotypical image” of women from southern Taiwan in a light and humorous manner, without any ill will.
“We humbly accept the criticism from netizens,” Liang added.
TRANSLATED BY JAKE CHUNG, STAFF WRITER
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS