Korean Netizens Call Out Dior for Offensive 'Slant Eye' Photo in Ad Campaign

The fashion industry is no stranger to controversy, and a recent Dior ad has sparked outrage among Korean netizens. The ad, which features a model with her eyes pulled back in a slanted shape, has been accused of perpetuating Asian stereotypes and racism.

This is not the first time the luxury brand has faced criticism for perpetuating Asian stereotypes, with the brand being called out in the past for an art exhibition pictorial featuring Asian models with makeup that exaggerated the lifted eye corners in 2021.

The use of this slanted eye look has a history of being used to mock and belittle Asians, and as such, many Korean netizens found it insensitive and offensive. The controversy surrounding Dior's recent ad first gained attention on Chinese social media, where many users called for an apology and even a boycott of Dior products. While Dior has yet to release an official statement on the matter, they swiftly removed the ad from all their social media platforms in response to the backlash.

Korean netizens commented, "Dior must be crazy," "I was going to get their product but not anymore," "Korea should boycott Dior products too. China shouldn't be the only one that goes against their racism," "If they're going to use derogatory gestures towards Asians, they shouldn't use Asian celebrities as their ambassadors," "The problem with this is the people who still buy Dior products even after these controversies,"  and "Don't buy their products now."