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
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