A South Korean dairy brand has caused an uproar on the web over an advertisement in which women turn into cows.
Described as sexist, the Seoul Milk company promotion video shows a man secretly filming women who transform into cows.
The clip begins with a man with a camera wandering through the countryside. He then hides in bushes to film a group of women drinking in a stream and doing yoga.
When the man accidentally steps on a twig, he startles the women who suddenly turn into cattle.
Critics weren’t limited to portraying women as cows, the BBC reported. Some have also compared the man’s behavior to “molka”, the illegal practice of secretly filming people in Korea.
The ad sparked a nationwide debate on sexism, with crimes committed using hidden cameras increasing in South Korea in recent years.
“We sincerely apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable with the milk advertisement released on the 29th of last month,” Seoul Milk parent company Seoul Dairy Cooperative said in an apology published in line.
The company removed the ad from YouTube, but the ad has since gone viral after being reposted by internet users.
Seoul Milk is not its first sexist controversy. In 2003, the company staged a performance in which nude models showered themselves with yogurt. The head of the marketing department and the models had been fined for obscenity.