(From BBC)
The treatment of a South Korean contestant in the latest episode of TV show Asia’s Next Top Model has sparked a backlash on social media. Kim Sang-in, 23, made a tearful apology to Subaru executive and guest judge Glenn Tan after he lambasted her for rolling her eyes during a photo shoot.
The shoot involved models posing around a convoy of cars from Subaru, one of the show’s main sponsors.
After Mr Tan’s outburst, viewers expressed their anger online.
Hundreds of angry fans flooded the show’s official Facebook page with strongly worded comments to defend the South Korean model after the show on Wednesday night.
Sam Gollestani, the show’s executive producer, said the incident highlighted the “emotions and tensions that occur during the competition”.
“Glenn provides the perspective of a client when choosing a model to front campaigns for products, which is why he was invited to be a guest judge this season,” he said.
“This scene is reflective of what considerations go into making these decisions when working in the fashion and modelling industry.”
A snippet of the incident, uploaded on to the show’s Facebook page, has drawn more than 1,000 angry reactions from fans.
In the full episode, broadcast on Wednesday night, Ms Kim is shown looking away as Mr Tan arrives at the scene of the photo shoot challenge among the convoy of cars.
He is later shown confronting her about that moment.
“Who do you think you are to roll your eyes at me?” he says. “I would never ever hire you.”
The contestant breaks down in tears and offers an explanation and apology, followed by a traditional Korean bow.
Cherry Mae Galiza, a viewer from the Philippines, wrote on Facebook it was the show’s “worst cycle ever”, saying Mr Tan had been “very unprofessional”.
“I’ve had enough,” she added.
“Just because he is a sponsor does not mean he can yell at a girl like that,” said Lucas Tai in Malaysia. Read More