Korean Government might ban photos of celebrities on alcohol bottles

[juhli.livejournal.com]

Korean liquor manufacturers may no longer be allowed to use photos of celebrities on their beverage packaging.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday it would come up with measures banning the images of celebrities on alcohol bottles to discourage the drinking culture.

The move follows Rep. Nam In-soon’s exhortation during a parliamentary audit of the ministry last month that featuring celebrities on alcohol beverages may induce more consumption, especially among teenagers, and should be outlawed.

“Alcohol and tobacco are both class-one carcinogens. But while nicotine marketing is strictly limited, regulations are much more lenient regarding alcohol beverages,” she said, referring to laws requiring tobacco products to carry health warnings.

On Oct. 15, the lawmaker on the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee pointed out the ministry’s efforts to curb drinking fell short compared to its anti-smoking regulations.

According to government data, 16.9 percent of teens engaged in underage drinking last year, which is a 1.9 percent increase from the previous year. Medical costs for treating mental and behavioral disorders from use of alcohol for patients under the age of 19 surged from 260 million won ($224,200) in 2016 to 415 million won in 2017.

The proportion of drinkers at higher risk of harm also increased from 7.5 percent to 8.9 percent over the same period.

“Studies show children and adolescents are more vulnerable to advertisements,” Nam said, adding, “Celebrity endorsements of alcohol products should not be allowed.”

The Health Ministry’s 2018 budget for reducing alcohol consumption stood at 1.3 billion won, only about 1 percent of that allotted for smoking cessation, which is 135.9 billion won.

The ministry’s Mental Health Policy Director Hong Jeong-ik said the government intends to follow through with Nam’s recommendations.

source: koreaherald, PicklesandHam

Comments

[oncloud999.livejournal.com]

from what i've read and seen, korea has a massive alcohol problem it's good they're taking measures to make alcohol less attractive to younger people.

[myrrhcat.livejournal.com]

good!

[921227.livejournal.com]

Lol a small step for a country with such an alcohol heavy binge culture

How about take steps to normalize abstaining from alcohol, to ban company dinners where employee are expected to get shitfaced in front of their bosses and peers, or equating adulthood with how many bottles of soju someone can drink

[goldenrosalie.livejournal.com]

+1 this is where my mind went when i saw the title. main issue is that binge drinking is closely related to work. i don't know how celeb promo ban will solve a much bigger societal issue because it's not about liking alcohol, you are expected to drink as a part of your work whether you want it or not.

[premonitioner.livejournal.com]

mhmmmm

and more addiction programs

[aeries-amethyst.livejournal.com]

it's amazing how much drinking is so ingrained in their culture and also how cheap alcohol is in SK

i also don't think i've ever watched a kdrama where at least one of the character doesn't end up shitfaced at some point in time. coming back to the issue of company dinners, i still don't understand why anyone would think it's a good idea to drink in that kind of environment, especially on a regular basis. it's irresponsible, especially if you have work the other day and i know that going to work with a hangover isn't doing anyone any favours >_>

[lizanka23.livejournal.com]

seriously. its so weird how its completely normalized and idols can advertise alcohol even thought they are supposed to be kid-friendly but if you get caught smoking marijuana then your career is over. getting drunk or drinking a lot of alcohol is way worse for your health

[dior-chic.livejournal.com]

Sort of related, are there any idols who are sober/non-drinkers? I have to give them credit, it’s already hard in the US that has its own issues with alcohol, I imagine it’s even harder in Korea

[giriboy.livejournal.com]

the only one i can think of is wonho, he mentioned it earlier this year

190511 Wonho cafe chat

Wonho said the reason he doesn't drink alcohol is because he wont know what will happened he's afraid he might do any mistake he doesn't like it if he hurts someone.

— yogurt。💙ot7 (@hyungwonope) May 10, 2019 (https://twitter.com/hyungwonope/status/1126878568972148737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

© (https://twitter.com/iwantwonho/status/1126874979587411968)

[alterlife.livejournal.com]

I know Taehyung doesnt like the taste and is always pretending to drink during vlives while the others are knocking them back

[rainstormraider.livejournal.com]

Taehyung is big on wine sis.

[juhli.livejournal.com]

I know that Xia Junsu, Seventeen's Woozi and Exid's Hani don't drink.

[mortkero.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I have seen Hani drunk though? They did a whole drunk BBQ rendition of a song, I can't remember which one.

[juhli.livejournal.com]

I watched that too, she said there or in an interview that she usually doesn't drink because she can't handle it, that's why she was immediately drunk after two shots too xD

[mortkero.livejournal.com]

I see, so doesn't drink, doesn't really mean doesn't drink, but more like don't drink much or often.

[cairistiona.livejournal.com]

iirc irene doesn't drink! or at least she hates beer

[ah0000.livejournal.com]

Isn’t she the face of one of the soju brands

[pppum.livejournal.com]

Yes, she's also the face of a coffee brands when she didn't drink coffee at all lol

[myungung.livejournal.com]

I guess it's in a good step, especially for the young ones. especially when most idols first wish for when they turn 20 (Korean age) is to drink, that's not the best impression.

side note, will probably have to remember the soju brands from now on. always went by the celeb endorsements to choose (IU one is the better one).

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

Fucking finally, about time

[gigabytexx.livejournal.com]

Still dont understand the appeal of alcohol taste. The fact that how many young people are so eager to drink when they turn 20 is somewhat weird but understandable; maybe because they're curious. But to actually like it and keep drinking it just because they have nothing else to do? Is such a weird concept to me.

My big family is a heavy drinker, and so I was already introduced to try cheap beers since I was in elementary school. I hated it bec it's bitter, but my cousins loved it and most of them already able to chug down a huge glass of beer during grade 8. Then during high school I had a chance to try out each liquor from my cousin's newly opened bar, i remember the first 3 cups which are kahlua, bollinger and dry gin.
The moment I tried dry gin that's it, it's over lol. I hate all bitter beers since then.
Friend introduced me to Soju and tbh i didn't feel any difference, just any other bitter beverages :/

[theweebdream.livejournal.com]

I don’t either. I can only have mixed drinks and even then I don’t completely like it bc I can still taste the alcohol. It sucks too when people tease you because you can only handle mixed beverages and not “straight” alcohol like beers or whiskies.

[gigabytexx.livejournal.com]

Same, I can take cocktails and all those fancy drinks just for fun/social thing but I definitely wont drink it out of boredom.
My family always mocked me because I can take espresso, I like all kinds of coffee (which is why my fav liquor is only kahlua) but I cant drink alcohol. These alcoholics said espresso is much more bitter than a vodka and idk I dont agree. Because drinking espresso slowly in my mouth doesnt make me feel like I'm drinking a nail polish lol

[premonitioner.livejournal.com]

people have different taste buds

[gigabytexx.livejournal.com]

I understand that. It's just the taste we're talking about here isn't as simple as 'which one taste better, a chicken ramen or fish soup'...
Regarding alcohol it's like, why would anyone likes bitterness!! Hahaha oh well. Yeah this is just inner me speaking

[premonitioner.livejournal.com]

i mean, i think lemons are pretty tasty, just straight up eating slices of them without any sweetener?

[lightframes.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had no desire to drink before I turned 21 (legal age here), and then I was like "OK, I guess I'll try this." Not bad, not great, it was fine.

Fun sometimes, but I can do without it. I sometimes go months without alcohol without noticing.

[gigabytexx.livejournal.com]

Same, i only drink them for socializing and stuff.

[cuizy.livejournal.com]

Yeah I don't understand how anyone can like beer, or find it refreshing/ relaxing. I just don't get it lol. I would much rather have juice.

Also I don't get underage idols saying they don't want to drink alcohol, alcohol is gross and once they can legally drink they just drink all the time. I guess it's part of the fakeness of entertainment industry that's been bothering me for a while. Like I understand it's part of an image thing when they're underage... but like do they mean anything they say at all?

[gigabytexx.livejournal.com]

Idk. At the same time I also remember I like to drink coffee and since I'm trying hard to reduce sugar intake I started to drink black coffee, it taste gross bec it's bitter but I always need caffein so I just.... drink it without sugar. I don't like it but I can't stop drinking it :/
It's like in my head "I need to have my coffee today" and I dont really care the taste, whether it's a shitty coffee or starbucks.

Maybe the alcohol drinker are like that lmao

[cuizy.livejournal.com]

Yeah I can get that some foods and drinks grow on you and I don’t like bitterness of coffee but I do like latte and stuff. But I just can’t get used to the taste of alcohol even to tolerate it, and it’s worse that I also get asian glow. And in dramas and stuff it really seems ppl enjoy the taste of beer lol

[giriboy.livejournal.com]

good! it's always been weird to me that celebs are prevalent in their soju ads

[rainstormraider.livejournal.com]

I love me some peach soju.

This be a good move though.

[aeries-amethyst.livejournal.com]

it won't stop the drinking problem but it will at least deter some people from drinking certain brands just to support their idols.