Hyeri apologizes for promoting sister's online shopping mall on 'Amazing Saturday'

[juhli.livejournal.com]

On July 8, Girl’s Day’s Hyeri’s agency Creative Group ING posted an official statement responding to the recent controversy regarding the artist.

Hyeri is a cast member of tvN’s “Amazing Saturday,” and on the July 6 episode, she got a chance to have the camera film only her for getting the most lyrics correct for a mission song.

After the producers told her she could decide on a caption, Hyeri wrote down “Amaretto.” When the other cast members asked what that meant, Shin Dong Yup answered, “It’s the name of her younger sister’s online shopping mall.”



Park Na Rae jokingly added, “Wait. Shouldn’t this be considered product placement?” to which Hyeri responded, “It’s because I invested in it.”

Following the broadcast, Hyeri’s sister’s shopping mall “Amaretto” topped realtime search engines for two days straight and garnered lots of attention. Hyeri uploaded a screenshot of the realtime search rankings on her Instagram Stories, captioning it, “I can’t believe it’s topping realtime search engines. Congratulations. My younger sister.”



Reactions to Hyeri’s actions were mixed. While some people found nothing wrong with Hyeri promoting her sister’s online shopping mall, others pointed out that it could be unfair to other competitors in the online shopping mall industry who are not able to promote their businesses on a well-known variety show.

Following the heated debate online, Hyeri took down the Instagram story.

On July 8, Hyeri posted an official apology from her agency to her Instagram. The post reads as follows:

Hello.

This is Hyeri’s agency Creative Group ING.

We apologize that Hyeri’s comments were not made carefully on the July 6 episode of ‘Amazing Saturday.’

She made those comments to add more fun to the program, and she did not realize that they could make viewers uncomfortable or become problematic.

We are recognizing and reflecting on our faults, and we will act more cautiously in the future so that similar situations are not repeated.

Although it was unintentional, we apologize once again to those who experienced discomfort due to this issue.

https://instagram.com/p/BznriWGA2sE

On the same day, the producers of “Amazing Saturday” also uploaded an official apology.

Hello. This is the crew of tvN’s ‘Amazing Saturday.’

We relay our sincere apologies to all viewers who felt uncomfortable during the last broadcast.

The part that was only partially blurred during the broadcast was changed to be completely blurred for all reruns and VOD services, and the audio was modified as well. In the future, the crew will be more cautious and careful.

Hyeri promotes dongsaeng's online store 'Amaretto' on variety -> deleted after it becomes controversial
1. [+3,708, -72] She doesn't own the broadcast channel, why isn't she able to understand that you can't promote things like that

2. [+3,571, -80] There are rules and regulations to PPL, who does she think she is to advertise for free?

3. [+2,997, -84] The producers and the Hyeri sisters need to apologize!!

4. [+376, -5] She's honestly crazy... how do you just promote yourself like that on TV?

5. [+360, -6] She sometimes just doesn't.. use her brain.. Why would you brag about making it on the search ranking over something that's controversial? She could've promoted her dongsaeng's shopping mall by just posting about it on SNS, why would you promote it on TV and cause all this controversy?

6. [+325, -3] This is worthy of a penalty, no??? You normally get penalized if you do PPL without following the rules

7. [+281, -3] I've never seen someone promote something so blatantly like this... and a family member's business at that...

8. [+238, -31] Hyeri turned her antis into fans with 'I Live Alone', why is she creating a controversy like this all on her own? Did she not think it would be controversial?

9. [+228, -2] How much greedier can you be?

10. [+209, -4] It made me think that she really doesn't think these things through... did she really post about making it on the search rankings without realizing that it was controversial? She doesn't know how to separate privacy from public?


Hyeri apologizes for mentioning dongsaeng's shopping mall "It was for the fun of the broadcast... I'm reflecting"

1. [+1,364, -159] Does she call this an excuse? For the fun of the show? It wasn't fun at all?? Think before you speak, you think an apology is all that it takes? How funny of her..;;

2. [+1,179, -110] What part of that was supposed to be funny?

3. [+1,101, -102] Well you already got your promotion in so

4. [+63, -11] Fun? Since when was promoting a shopping mall fun?... Celebrities have it so easy. Just cause a problem and then apologize for it.

5. [+61, -10] What was supposed to be funny about that... what a dumb clarification...

6. [+60, -7] Tired of kids like her, she's too greedy

7. [+57, -3] Hyeri is popular enough on her to use her Instagram to promote her sister's store. What she did was really immature. Did she not think that it would be problematic? TV is not a joke~

8. [+51, -8] Her sister runs it but Hyeri invested in it... How can she promote that and then call it fun? She should leave the show if she's really sorry.

9. [+44, -3] Jealous at how easy her life is ㅋ All it takes is one apology ㅋㅋㅋ

10. [+37, -4] For the fun of the show??? That's not an apology, she's just justifying it to herself



source: @soompi, hyeri.official, soompi, naver 1 2 3 4, netizenbuzz 1 2, nate 2

Comments

[jaelissi.livejournal.com]

An apology underneath a photoshoot picture of her looking sad. Lol

[jyusou.livejournal.com]

others pointed out that it could be unfair to other competitors in the online shopping mall industry who are not able to promote their businesses on a well-known variety show

That is such bullshit. You all realise that your economy operates under a capitalist system - competition-based with an uneven playing field. Just admit you’re all jealous her sister got free promo and go.

[pikapika217.livejournal.com]

I would've done the exact same so clearly this is yet another reason why I am unfit to be a loop idol

[nekokonneko.livejournal.com]

i doubt every person criticising her also runs an online shopping mall business (or some other business). besides, she's not just being nice to her sister since she also reveals she's invested money in it. basically, she's just dropped an unauthorised and unpaid ad that goes against broadcast practices to prevent in-your-face product placement

[existingisfunny.livejournal.com]

they have nothing else to be mad about like usual

[juhli.livejournal.com]

That was dumb of Hyeri, but also from the shows PD and editors who should be most trained on broadcast regulations.
If it wouldn't have topped realtime searches, i don't think this would have been a big deal. But it has topped realtime searches -and that for days- so i think the discussion if this is unpermitted PPL is valid. I mean, her sister probably made a ton of money through this.
Anyways would the discussion be the same if she had promoted her own business? I sometimes see people on variety shows promoting their restaurants, etc. ... Is there a difference?

[rennehollic.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to see what the problem actually is since I would the same?
Also, she doesn't look sad in the picture, she looks like she's having cramps... Which in the end of the day is the same

[nekokonneko.livejournal.com]

yeah, the PD should've directed her to do another take and/or the editors should've just cut that part out. i think what caused problems is her specifically mentioning the name of the store. in my memories, when celebs promote a restaurant they just refer to it as their restaurant which the viewers can then google (or, naver as it were) and find the name and address themselves. like how brand names and logos get blurred or covered with tape.

[juhli.livejournal.com]

yeah, i just went through the article again, seems like they thought blurring out the last syllable of the shop's name would be enough. which, imo is fair with all the Diol and Prata i've been seeing on broadcast.
True! I can't remember anyone ever saying a restaurants name

[921227.livejournal.com]

She shouldn't have done it, but the production staff shouldn't have let it air

Also, shopping malls are literally in the thousands in SK, the whole business is competition on who can make the cheapest knockoffs of branded clothing. The netizens pretending they care is laughable

[mthws.livejournal.com]

Lol just because you would do the same doesn't mean it's right.

[pseudo-shigure.livejournal.com]

i forgot how ridiculously strict korean broadcasting is with brands and promotion

[pseudo-shigure.livejournal.com]

i think the system is ridic that you can't even say names of popular apps for example, or on a beauty/fashion shows you can't mention brand names which beats the whole purpose of the show. but that's the system, and she and the crew should've known better.

[oh-folk.livejournal.com]

~That's capitalism, baby.~

[vintage-boom.livejournal.com]

it's not ridiculous when you understand how insidious product placement and in-content ad buys are. the restrictions aren't set by the broadcasters but by the watchdogs ensuring the viewer knows when they're being sold to or not. media literacy is declining rapidly and transparency in what is or isn't advertising isn't a bad that imo

[blck-ink.livejournal.com]

pp laws are quite strict so i don't really get why the pd didn't entirely edit it out. the outrage and fake concern from netizens, on the other hand, is ridiculous.

[theweebdream.livejournal.com]

I didn’t think it was too big of a deal (but I’m also not Korean so idk the ramifications of this tbh) until she said she herself invested in it. That’s just tacky.

[radowan.livejournal.com]

yes to all of this, 100%

[pseudo-shigure.livejournal.com]

they could've done like the US do for ig and youtube where they have to stated if it was sponsored. at least for lifestyle shows, bc really it the point of the show is lost. and for me personally it's just awkward when these celebs can't say popular brand names that everybody already know anyway on talk shows. i feel like i've never seen it in other countries. and i'd like to think people are smarter, but oh well..

[vintage-boom.livejournal.com]

yea except those shows and influencers don't reallly follow the regulations and slip product placement in all the time without labels or warnings.

if influencers were actually honest about the items that has been paid for to be talked about, sit in the background of a shot, be worn or paid to talk badly about the competition most influencer content wouldn't exist. same with a lot of shows tbh they all try and cut their budgets without getting caught.

[done-na.livejournal.com]

2 things:

1. Dumb move Hyeri.
2. Even dumber move tv crew for letting it air.

[pseudo-shigure.livejournal.com]

i'm not gonna comment about influencers here bc that's whole other thing. but if in tv shows like the lifestyle ones i use as example at least states whether the product is sponsored or not, it'd be just like advertorial on magazine. or simply just an ad. which then audience can make the decision themselves.

and idk, where i live influencers dont have to state if the product they review is sponsored or not, so people have been questioning to the ones who only say nice reviews.

[jaequeeragenda.livejournal.com]

lol im such a part of the capatalist engine that im like...ok and? guess they operate a lil diff over there than in america cause im so used to plug ur shit at the end of an interview or podcast or w/e that i wouldn't have bat an eye at this ;o