Japanese cosmetics brand DHC is facing backlash from consumers after using a ‘racist’ term to describe Korean models.
In a post on the brand’s website, Yoshiaki Yoshida described models featured in Suntory’s adverts, another Japanese company, as ‘Chontory’, according to South China Morning Post.
‘Chon’ is a derogatory term for Koreans in Japan.
“For some reason, the models hired to appear in Suntory commercials are almost all Korean-Japanese,” he wrote.
“So that’s why it seems they are mocked on the internet as ‘Chon-tory’.”
The cosmetics mogul went on to say that all of DHC’s models by comparison were all ‘pure Japanese’.
The group has since gone to receive a torrent of abuse, with one consumer calling for a boycott of the brand via a petition, which has garnered more than 14,000 signatures.
Other Twitter users described the leader as a “hateful racist CEO”.
Hateful racist CEO. Was a 20+ yr customer but no more. I threw out everything from DHC and plan to never buy from them again. Never tolerate this sh*t.#差別企業DHCの商品は買いません https://t.co/7yyzjTUBWr
— Kumiko Jacobs (@kumiko) December 17, 2020
Another said they would no longer use products from a brand that has “blatantly spread racist and misogynistic rhetoric”.
I don’t really use DHC to begin with but definitely will not be buying anything in the future. It is against my morals to support a company that has blatantly spread racist and misogynistic rhetoric (to say the least). #差別企業DHCの商品は買いません
— sisboomba (@iffy_syw) December 16, 2020
In 2019, Korean actress and model Jung Yu-mi said she would no longer work with the brand in protest of its CEO’s comments.
DHC has not responded to comments made by consumers.