Indonesia banned a Shopee commercial featuring BLACKPINK after some people found it indecent. The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission asked a total of 11 national TV stations to stop airing the clip due to Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé's scantily outfits. An online petition is also circulating asking to completely cancel the ad.
Maimon Herawati, who made petitions to ban Korean girl groups in Indonesia before, started the petition to remove BLACKPINK's commercial from Indonesian television. The Padjadjaran University journalism professor addressed his request to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, per Koreaboo.
Maimon opposed Blackpink's short dress in the Shopee commercial, saying it is barely covering their "aurat," parts of the body that Islam believes should stay covered. According to him, nobody should see these parts of the women's body as they considered it "private," and should be clothed.
"What kind of message are we instilling to the pure souls?" the petition read. Maimon was referring to the kids who could see Blackpink's Shopee commercial. He even complained that the clip often aired on children programs.
"What message do you want to put on the pure souls?" he questioned. Maimon also asked parents and other petition signers to stop patronizing Shopee in India.
In response to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission, Shopee moves BLACKPINK's commercial to a different time. Its management also coordinated with all the parties involved to resolve the issue.
Shopee is now aiming to reach a wider target audience who can be its potential shoppers and who are interested in the online platform's annual shopping sale. "Responding to the advices [sic] aimed at us, we have coordinated with everyone involved and readjusted the commercial's broadcast time and have it reach our customers and potential customers," Shopee Indonesia Brand Manager Rezki Yanuar said, via Tempo.Co.
There are about 11 national television networks that received an official warning letter asking them to stop broadcasting BLACKPINK's Shopee commercial. According to the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission commissioner Hardly Stefano, the clip's content seemed to oppose the public decency norm.
On the other hand, Blackpink's fans from Indonesia criticized the petition, the people who signed it, and their country's aim to ban Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa, and Rosé's Shopee commercial. One supporter questioned the reason behind the petition and the nation's close-mindedness. Another one said that noticing the girls' "short outfits" is pretty ridiculous.
So, BLACKPINK's fans created a counter-petition asking the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission not to remove the Shopee commercial. As of now, it has over 80,000 signs out of the 150,000 signatures needed.
