The Neon Rush
Commenting on the bright lights radiating from Taipei and elsewhere on the interweb.
by Spencer Pangborn, Taiwan
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Politicians bemoan sex in TV ads for online games
Apr 8, 2009 13:45I wouldn't call it an uproar, not even a mild uproar. So let's just say there's been public "discourse" lately in Taiwan concerning a recent TV ad campaign for an online game.
The online gaming industry is pretty big business in Taiwan. Of course, everyone plays the classics like World of Warcraft and Counter Strike, but there are also others that are quite successful. Many are licensed from the booming creative gaming industry based in Korea.
One of these is called Sha Online and people are buzzing about the TV ads it is using to promote the game. The campaign features an attractive young girl with large bosoms that repeat the catchphrase "sha hen da".
Sha means "to kill" and hen da means very big, so a loose interpretation would be: A lot of killing.
Ironically, people aren't worried that the game promotes violence and killing. They're concerned that the ads exploit and objectify women. That's a pretty big stretch, IMHO. It seems a couple of Taiwanese legislatures are just trying to stir the press pot to get their name in the paper. Anyway, take a gander at the two ads below to see if there's any merit to the politician's claim.
Don't die, don't die. Her lover is dead, so she will exact her revenge. Sha hen da!
Don't go. Don't go. Her lover does leave so she needs to take her aggression out on someone. Sha hen da!
The funny thing is that the slogan, sha hen da, has taken on a second meaning due to the ads. If a couple of guys notice a well-endowed woman, they might nudge each other and say sha hen da to bring attention to her physical attributes. It's interesting to see how creative advertising influences culture. When doing research for this post I asked a some of my Taiwanese co-workers about the game Sha Online as well as the phrase sha hen da. They immediately chuckled because I rarely speak Mandarin at work and thought it was funny I took notice of this little pop phenomenon. I told them I was doing some research--purely academic, of course--and wanted to learn more about the gaming industry in Taiwan.
No one has actually played the game, but everyone knows the catchphrase.
So all in all, it's been an interesting couple of days discovering the funny and creative ways they promote games on the boob tube here, no pun intended.
- Talkback
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To me it looks like a some bad Japanese Cosplay. I have agree in a sense, it's not appropiate for children.
Apr 09, 2009 00:45
a bigger problem perhaps is that the ads could influence Taiwan females to believe they should act and/or speak like retards
Apr 09, 2009 07:55
@SS, that's the main point the politicians make as well. Last night on the news they were talking about similar "sha hen da" currently on the side of buses. The buses drive by schools and they're afraid children will see it. I don't see that it's a big issue, but then again I don't have kids...
@jag, lol... ~.~ n_n orz
Apr 09, 2009 12:44
I don't care about sex between adults...it's normal and we all do it. Violence is of more concern to me BUT what I do object to is the obvious "pedophile like" theme of the two ad videos you posted.
The child looks awfully young to be exciting spectators in a healthy way!!!
Apr 09, 2009 13:44
@Spangaroo: I just think if girls end up dressing and actlng like this, it just upsetting for a lot of families. That's why I think some people reacting, especially with the ad being seen everywhere.
Apr 09, 2009 20:46
When I first heard about the "slogan", I thought it was very weird because it did not make any sense nor complied with Chinese grammar. However, nobody denies that the publicity did achieve a great success. At least, it drew a lot of attention, even those who do not play online game (such as I). This slogan even became pop searching keyword on Yahoo for quite a long time!! besides, I did not expect a foreigner would pay attention to it.
Apr 11, 2009 00:48
@montbkk, it is quite difficult for me to understand the reason people adore all things cutesy. My vote goes towards a brutal education system that forces the kids to grow up very fast.
@SS, I agree and understand the reaction people are having. IMO it does seem a little sensationalist though. There are so many magazines that kids see everyday at the local 7-Eleven that show even more skin. For this reason I think it's difficult for politicians to draw a line in the sand when it comes to morality in the media.
@tsueiyunfei, I was in Tainan at a soccer tournament over the weekend and overheard some referees chatting in between games. The "sha hen da" comment found its way into the conversation as a couple of ladies walked by. So the publicity is definitely island-wide.
Apr 13, 2009 10:10
True, true, true. But such phenomenon happens almost everywhere. In the Philippines, when a new tv commercial (TVC)comes out with a catchy phrase, give or take a day or two and it immediatley becomes an instant pedestrian hit.
Whom should we blame? Media? First and foremost media is big business so I may have to postpone commenting on this area. What about the public? Are they really gullible, glassy eyed dupes? Certainly not. These shimmering products of popular media seep into the consciousness of kids faster than they can memorize the multiplication table happens because TVCs are fun, hip, funny and yes, sexy at times -- qualities that make for easy recall. Now if the education system can be tweaked just a wee bit to make classroom learning less boring and tedious, and more stimulating, then perhaps we will have students who can better appreciate the value of education in the digital, media-saturated society that we have.
Admit or not, one way or the other, we buy sex and violence --- in the movies that we watch, in the manga that we read, etc. Protective parents may try to keep their sanity intact by policing what their kids watch, see, and read, but they can only do so much.Still there is the omnipotent media, peer pressure, the environment, and bickering lawmakers who do nothing but fatten their pockets (at least in my dearly beloved Philippines). What to do when all else fail?
Beats me. I'm still young, free and single.
Aug 12, 2009 09:54
About Spencer Pangborn
Spencer Pangborn first moved to Asia to become a popstar but failed, miserably. He is now a marketing specialist and freelance writer based in Taipei, Taiwan. Originally from the Great Lake State, he misses driving in the snow but doesn't miss shoveling the sidewalk. Spencer is co-founder of the Taipei Tech Club, where he socializes with friends to discuss the latest tech news and views around town. Twitter: @spangaroo
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