Cinema Chain Under Fire For Popcorn Advertisement Featuring Shirtless Model

Recently, a cinema chain in South Korea received heavy criticism for their popcorn advertisement featuring a shirtless model.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, food is strictly banned inside cinemas in South Korea. To compensate for this loss, cinema chain CGV decided to sell “bag popcorn” to people at home for a lower price than it would typically cost in cinemas.

CGV’s choice of advertisement for the product, however, wasn’t well received by the public. The advertisement shared on their Facebook page featured a shirtless male model surrounded by bags of popcorn.

After the picture went viral online, CGV’s Facebook page was flooded with netizens accusing the company of objectifying men. Netizens pointed out that there was no need for a shirtless model to advertise popcorn.

Is this an ad for popcorn or for some sexual service? Why would anyone buy popcorn to pour it over himself while topless or to lie down on a bed of it?

— Korean netizen

Others, still, accused the company of food wastage because of the piles of spilled popcorn seen in the advertisements.

In response to the criticism, CGV deleted the controversial picture and uploaded a new one, this time featuring the model fully clothed in a workman outfit.