RECENTLY, Jungkook from BTS was involved controversy for wearing clothing from his older brother’s fashion brand, while not disclosing that he himself was a director the company. After netizens accused him of ‘false advertising’, Jungkook resigned from his position.
On Oct 1, media outlet Sports Kyunghyang revealed that an individual had filed a complaint to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) about the situation, and asked for harsh punishment against Jungkook for “backdoor advertisement”.
Backdoor advertisement refers to the practice of advertising without the disclosure of payment, or while secretly having ties to the company.
However, an official from the FTC stated to online portal Hankyung that it was hard to determine whether Jungkook’s actions were considered backdoor advertisement, as it was difficult to prove whether or not fans had been deceived.
Since Jungkook did not mention brands, the FTC official stated that wearing a brand of clothing does not violate any fair trade criterion about backdoor advertisement.
Fans and netizens have responded to the latest news of the FTC’s statement.
Some of the comments made included:
“I think what the haters are doing is a crime by spreading lies and trying to ruin Jungkook’s career.”
“I knew this was coming. I can’t wrap my head around how people who accused Jungkook of backdoor advertisement think.”
“Jungkook never posts about the food he eats, so if he recommends a salad, is that backdoor advertisement too?”
