“We Got Married” Criticized for Making Chloe Moretz Eat Unfamiliar Food; Producer Responds

[theemii.livejournal.com]

The production team of “We Got Married” is currently under fire for a scene in June 13′s episode in which American model and actress Chloe Moretz is given the challenge of eating some unfamiliar Korean food when she visits Henry and Yewon‘s house with Eric Nam. Some netizens have been criticizing the show for putting Chloe Moretz in what they believe to be an uncomfortable position.

On the show, Henry and Yewon prepare four food challenges for Chloe Moretz: silkworm larvae (bundegi), Korean blood sausage (soondae), live octopus, and super spicy ramyun. The couple calls it the “Korean Food Avengers” challenge. They give her some more familiar Korean food first, like bulgogi, before they introduce the silkworm larvae as the first round.




All four of them laugh about the challenge, but Chloe Moretz seems hesitant at first about eating the larvae.



“You go first, I’ll watch,” she says to Yewon. She then looks absolutely stuned as Yewon digs in.



She agrees to eat the silkworm larvae as long as someone else does it at the same time, and Eric Nam readily steps up to the plate. The two tap their larva together as though doing a “cheers,” and then she yells “Oh my god!” and squeals a bit before putting it in her mouth.



After pulling a few funny faces she says, “Oh, it’s actually not bad at all.”

She’s not a big fan of the next challenge, the blood sausage, which has a strong taste and smell.



She laughs at the pungent aftertaste, and Henry grabs her a sweet rice drink to take away the taste.



Their next round alarms even Henry. It’s live octopus! Chloe Moretz and Eric Nam tease Henry as Yewon feeds him a bit of the octopus. “He’s gonna spit it out,” predicts Chloe Moretz.



Henry doesn’t look too thrilled, saying that it’s sticking to the top of his mouth. Eventually he tells Chloe Moretz, “It’s like gum, it tastes pretty good.”



“It’s like gum?” asks Chloe Moretz suspiciously.



She does take a bite, but she quickly downs some water right after. “It’s not too bad!” she says. “It’s weird!” She then says that she can feel it moving in her throat.

Her last challenge is super spicy ramyun. She enjoys it, and even tries some more of the spicy powder.



In retaliation for the challenge, Eric Nam and Chloe Moretz make Henry eat some more of the silkworm larvae with spicy powder. After giving him some aegyo, Chloe Moretz refuses to take any more of Henry’s stalling, and yells “Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!” while holding a silkworm larva out to him. Henry eventually gives in and swallows it down.



Overall, Chloe Moretz seems totally game for the challenge and looks like she’s having a lot of fun. However, some Korean netizens have been criticizing “We Got Married” for what they see as forcing their American guest Chloe Moretz to eat things that she didn’t want to.

One reporter writes, “It worked because of Chloe Moretz’s easy-going personality and her talents at entertainment. But viewers felt uneasy. It seems ‘We Got Married’ won’t be able to avoid criticism over whether they really had to make a foreign guest eat silkworm larvae, blood sausage, and live octopus.”

One netizen comments on the article, “Don’t give her that kind of thing to eat… There’s so much delicious Korean food out there. The producer who thought that it could only be funny if they gave her that kind of thing must be a bit dim.”

Another comments, “They had absolutely no concern for the foreign guest. It was uncomfortable to watch. This episode complete wrecks Korea’s image.”

However, “We Got Married” producer Sun Hye Yoon has responded to the criticism by explaining that Chloe Moretz had actually been the one who had suggested the scene.

On June 13, Sun Hye Yoon told TV Report, “Chloe Moretz’s representatives made the request, saying that she wanted to eat unique food like live octopus. They said she was interested in trying unique dishes like traditional royal court food while she was in Korea.”

“On set, Chloe Moretz was having a lot of fun,” she adds. “Since she’s 19 years old, she was really bubbly. She got on well with Eric Nam, Henry and Yewon.”



Article: 'WGM' shocking Korea? Forcing Chloe Moretz to eat Korean dishes causes viewers 'discomfort'

Source: Star News via Nate

WGM presented Chloe Moretz with a bunch of Korean dishes that even Koreans consider bizarre or have a love/hate opinion of like fried silkworms, sliced raw octopus, korean sausages/sundae. Viewers thought it was wrong how the show was focused on force feeding her these weird foods instead of properly introducing Korean cuisine.

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1. [+985, -12] I really wish our shows will stop forcing these things on foreigners. Do they think the viewers will find it fun watching that? What if you were visiting China and they forced you to eat monkey brain stew and chicken heads? Would you like that? Koreans think they can just toss out a few questions like "do you know kimchi/Gangnam Style" and laugh but they're the only ones laughing.

2. [+726, -7] I think she just put up with it because she has a good attitude. Still pretty and charming.

3. [+569, -8] Don't know why Chloe Moretz and Eric Nam had to suffer this;; the two matched really well though ㅋㅋㅋ Chloe looked so loving when she hid behind him

4. [+30, -1] There are so many Koreans who can't eat those dishes... why would you force a foreigner to?

5. [+27, -1] We have bulgogi and samgyupsal but nooo, they feed her fried silkworms...

6. [+20, -3] Shows what a good person Chloe Moretz is for putting up with it... the producers are trash, ugh.

Article: 'WGM' PD, "We did not force Chloe Moretz to eat this, she actually asked to first" (official response)

Source: TV Report via Nate

1. [+272, -12] This is still the producer's fault, or was it all for noise marketing? Chloe was a nice enough person to just smile and deal with it and Eric Nam obviously comforted her too. I'm glad it seems like she had a fun time but I felt bad for the two. Stop feeding foreigners weird things.

2. [+238, -6] We have so many other good traditional palace dishes like rice cake galbi or palace ddukbokgi you damn Sun Hye Yoon PD.

3. [+213, -3] I just realized how amazing of an attitude she has. Eric Nam took care fo her well too. When she got scared over the raw octopus, she hid behind Eric Nam. The epitome of lovely ㅋㅋㅋ

4. [+14, -2] So sad for Chloe that she had to eat these weird things in Korea ㅠㅠ

5. [+10, -1] This PD seriously turns everything she touches into shit! If Chloe Moretz was just your average foreign model, we could just let it pass.. but she's a Hollywood actress with considerable fame and level both in America and everywhere else.. how dare you do this to her? Imagine if Lee Young Ae or Kim Tae Hee was traveling abroad and fed things like cow penis under the guise of it being traditional cuisine? Would you like that?

6. [+7, -1] I'm sure Chloe asked to experience normal Korean cuisine, not disgusting dishes.


Source: Soompi naver +1 & Netizenbuzz nate +1

Comments

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

This episode sounds fun.

And I know the k-netizens who commented just want their country to be shown in a good light, but weird food challenges are, like, a thing, you know? It's just a genre of entertainment.

[miyozari.livejournal.com]

I guess if Chloë really wanted to try the dishes, then what's the big deal? Some netizens are way too over-protective of their country's image... however, if she was really just doing it for the sake of entertainment, then the pds should have picked easier dishes and lbr everyone knows wgm pds pull some nasty shit.

But most importantly... why was Chloë in WGM in the first place?

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

I think she's in Korea to promote something. Eric Nam interviewed her, which is a thing he usually does with foreign stars, and they were together on SNL. I'm guessing they get along and Eric Nam and Henry are friends so...
I'm just guessing

[sayuridoll.livejournal.com]

Why are they so bitter? Isn't the point of visting countries to try foods you generally wouldn't?

[fabulousdoll.livejournal.com]

I'm so confused at what is the problem with this. I didn't watch the video, but I really doubt she was forced to it and nothing for the list of food is specially disgusting to make it a big deal. And I don't know to laugh or cry at some of this people acting like just because she's a hollywood actress she deserves more or less respect than any other person.
This things are scripted. She would know what is going to happen before. And I'm sure she already eat all the good things in private but that's not fun for the broadcast.
Now speaking of another things I like the fact that she seems comfortable with Eric Nam, they even did a sketch together for SNL lol

traveling abroad and fed things like cow penis under the guise of it being traditional cuisine
I hope this is a translation error because since when cows have a penis? And bull's penis are in fact a traditional food, not even that weird so...

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

translational error, i don't think a lot of people realize cow only refers to female

[yakuniku-8.livejournal.com]

Since the larvae were cooked I guess the weirdest food was the live octopus but her reaction was cool.
I don't really know who she is but it's interesting to see a foreign celebrity in this kind of show. I hope she enjoyed her date with Eric Nam

[axelandra-ally.livejournal.com]

she's becoming quite a well known actress. I think some of the most popular movies she's been in are Kick-Ass and Kick-Ass 2. And the most recent, that I've seen of hers, are Carrie and If I Stay.
Apparently she is in the second movie by a Gillian Flynn book, Dark Places, so that could be interesting...

[yakuniku-8.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info

[sayitisso.livejournal.com]

my question is how did they manage to get her on the show

[shocko-o.livejournal.com]

are these foods that weird? I wouldn't try live octopus, but have seen these on variety & tv shows (roommate, running man, etc.) without seeing anyone calling them weird.

[chibi-rei.livejournal.com]

These foods are all fairly common. I mean, there was a guy that sold the larvae on a street near my apartment all the time and you see it at baseball games. I wouldn't say it's all delicious, but I've eaten all these dishes before in Korea.

[bomsnose.livejournal.com]

these foods were on my list of must-try things when i went to korea. but then some green tea tiramisu and korean fried chicken happened.
one of the things those commenters forget is that chloe would've stood up and left the set if she was that uncomfortable. i'm sure she has to endure many things she doesn't want, but not nearly on a korean idol level.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

on interviews chloe always sounds chill and fun to be around ....
yeah, maybe larvaes and octopus wasn't a great option but if she was laughing probably she was having fun
knetz are overreacting as usual

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

idk, there's a definite history of foreign celebrities (and sometimes politicians even) constantly bombarded with questions of do you know kimchi do you know gangnam style and basically tested their love of korean culture whatever to a point that a lot of knetz have expressed second hand embarrassment - it's mostly stemming from that plus they probably don't want to be seen "barbaric" since there's also the connotation from the west that koreans (and other asians) are weird and gross and they eat things like insects and dogs and live octopus. i mean knetz don't realize that's just really racism on the westerners' part and think it's something to be ashamed of.

anyways silkworm is delicious with a bit of soy sauce and sugar and spring onions - sriracha drizzled on top :D
and live octopus is fun but mostly flavorless, you really eat it for the fun (of having tentacles suctioning to your lips lulz)
actually i like all four of those things and wondering to myself if i should just cook the spicy ramen above for dinner

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

that's understendable speaking from a country with zero resonance around the world (even less then korea i'm sure) in general when you see foreigners coming from distant countries you can't help wondering 'how do you even know about this country??' lol

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

NGL when I was visiting Korea whenever people found out I was Brazilian (for some reason people mostly thought I was American before I said anything) they seemed to be in awe/very surprised about me being in their country, especially when as I was the first Brazilian (and often first South American) they met.

[sra-interesante.livejournal.com]

when i met my korean friend she was backpacking in south america and knew something about every country but she was very surprised whenever people knew something about south korea (even if it was hallyu wave related)

[psharp10.livejournal.com]

"and live octopus is fun but mostly flavorless, you really eat it for the fun (of having tentacles suctioning to your lips lulz)"

lmao my friend described it as "french kissing your food" and ever since then idk whether i want to try it or not

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

lulz in that case the octopus is a terrible kisser

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

Honestly I wouldn't mind eating the things on the list because I don't see how they would be gross and over here we have similar food, but no way I would eat the silkworm, mostly because I really disliked it's smell when I saw the street vendors prepping it, IDK why but it made me nauseous.

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, the smell of the seasoning mixed with the silkworm turns off a lot of people. and i doubt street vendors prepare them in the most hygenic method :P
the cans might be less smelly but i don't recommend it if you don't like the smell. there are better things to eat XD

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

Good to know I wasn't the only one XD

NGL now when I think of Korea I think of amazing and yummy food, I've never ate so much in a trip before, not only the Korean food, but for the first time I got to eat Pho, and I pretty much loved everything I ate (I only had minor problems with how spicy the food was XD).

[atelierlune.livejournal.com]

Thank you for going into what these things are actually like to eat. Do they fry the silkworm? What is the texture like?

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

nah they're steamed or boiled - they also make them into cans which are the kind i get since no street vendors in america XD

as for texture idk how to describe it - it's like chewing on little pockets of roe? you feel them burst as you chew but it's not like it explodes in your mouth kind of burst, more subdued. the seasoning is nice.

[waves-of-light.livejournal.com]

Why wgm? So random. She's adorable as fuck tho.

[bishieaddict.livejournal.com]

wait... people eat monkey brain stew and chicken heads in China??!

[age-ofconsent.livejournal.com]

you can prob find monkey brains served in some areas. it's not really common though

[parkjsun.livejournal.com]

I mean... she didn't come to Korea for just this show and immediately leave. I'm sure she's tried traditional and popular Korean cuisine during her stay.

[cherrypop.livejournal.com]

I still get asked "Do you know kimchi?" and I've been living in Korea for over two years and eating it way longer than that. I chalk it up to them (the person who asked) not having a lot of experience with foreigners.

I think the challenge is totally fun. And she obviously ate good food too, but certain people are way too controlling / demanding / protective of their country's image.

[fantaesticbaby.livejournal.com]

lmao when i was in japan people would get impressed i could use chopsticks or cook tempura. they set the bar low for foreigners, i guess....

[ah0000.livejournal.com]

Chloe is already 19???? That's what I got from this.

[winegums.livejournal.com]

she's actually 18 lol, they just did the Korean thing of adding 1 year to her age

Tho her now being legally an adult is enough of a surprise, she's forever Hit Girl in my head.

[fantaesticbaby.livejournal.com]

that sounds terrifying but then i won't eat meat so eating a live octopus is just a no for me on so many levels

[lovealwaysliana.livejournal.com]

I don't know who Chloe Mortez is. But I watched this and it was really cute and fun.

[redgreendress.livejournal.com]

she seemed to be having fun and nobody forced her to eat anything. Yet again I fail to understand why netizens have their panties in a bunch.

[classicfire.livejournal.com]

They are really uptight over everything aren't they? I do understand though the whole "eat the weirdest thing a country has to offer" thing they do in shows. Like how these travel shows in the U.S. try to make it seem like cuy (guinea pig) is a really common food for Peruvians when it isn't. Eat some aji de gallina or ceviche but no it always has to be guinea pig so viewers will be shocked and say "ew they eat that?"

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

Meh, in a way I get why the netizens feel that way, but I don't think the food is gross and understand the foreigners curiosity over wanting to eat the most 'unusual' cousine, as long they do it with open minds without pre-judging it to label the natives of said country gross/uncivilized etc.

[shintotchi.livejournal.com]

Just here to chime in for the ones who aren't familiar with Chloe Moretz. If you've ever seen 30 Rock, she was the bratty posh daughter, Kaylie Hooper, of Alec Baldwin's boss in the show. She was also Hit-Girl, the purple-haired girl in the movie Kickass and Kickass 2.

That being said, it's so random she was on WGM

[heyitsrocky91.livejournal.com]

ah thanks! i was totally confused as to who she was lmao and I'm American xD I actually didn't enjoy Kickass or Kickass 2 so that's probably why I don't remember her

[chibi-rei.livejournal.com]

I don't love any of the food, but I've had all these dishes. They're fine. None are crazy gross. They probably could have given her more delicious dishes, but none of these are crazy bad
[edit] actually I really like soondae and spicy ramyun. If I could get soondae now that'd be awesome.

[huanyia.livejournal.com]

if she suggested the whole thing herself i don't understand the backlash at all...?