A Japanese TV show host sparked outrage in South Korea for allegedly subjecting Le Sserafim members Sakura and Kazuha to inappropriate questions during an interview.
The Japanese artists, who made their debut with the K-pop girl group on May 2, appeared on the variety show “Zero Ichi” in July to promote their first extended play (EP), “Fearless.”
One of the show’s hosts reportedly asked Sakura and Kazuha, “How much does it cost to stay at a luxury hotel for a night?”
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Confused by the question, the members replied that they did not know.
What triggered the online criticism was the host’s response and follow-up question: “You probably went there with your boyfriend. Why are you pretending like you don’t know?”
Commenters on the discussion board particularly did not like the way the host appeared to have taunted the women for allegedly pretending not to know.
There were those who lamented how female artists in Japan face similar treatment in local media, including underage idols.
Others felt the host’s line of questioning was sexist and borderline sexual harassment, with some pointing out that even if the questions were meant to be a joke, they were done in poor taste, particularly due to the sensitivity of the topic of dating in the K-pop industry.
“In Korea, such an MC would have been skinned alive, never to be seen in TV again,” one commenter wrote.
On Sept. 19, Le Sserafim officially announced their first release as a five-member group following the departure of former member Kim Ga-ram. The girl group’s second mini album “ANTIFRAGILE,” their first comeback since their debut with “FEARLESS,” is set to release on Oct. 17.
Featured Image via Jack Official
