♪ TL;DR intro theme ♪
Different countries have different censorship laws and you'd be surprised how
Some countries ban some things while others don't.
Today we're going to talk about what gets banned in Korea.
Now, what we are going to talk about isn't necessarily the songs that wind up getting banned
Because different networks ban on different bases.
We're talking about overall what is not allowed in Korea in general, in terms of censorship.
So, when you think of a Kpop video that was considered to be "too sexy" and was banned
We are not talking about that. That's like a totally different censorship board.
Today, we are specifically talking about the "Korea Communications Standards Commission"
Also known as KOCSC. But that's such a long name
So, I'm just going to pronounce it, it's the "KOC-SUCK".
No...Something about that just doesn't sound right to me.
You know what? And the people that work for KOCSC
Are known as KOCSCers ("KOC-SUCKers")
No, that can't be right!
So here are what all of the KOCSCers banned in Korea. (M: And that feels like it should be banned on its own.)
*Martina giggling*
So, here's a broad and vast list of things that are banned.
You can not light and smoke a cigarette
But you can hold a cigarette as long as it is not lit.
Guns and knives are banned, but not all knives
Only knives when they are used in aggressive ways, but if you're like on a cooking show, then a knife is okay.
Tattoos are totally banned or just blurred out.
So, if you guys have ever seen Jay Park on Korean TV
Like, he was recently on "Unpretty Rapstar 2"
All of his tattoos got blurred.
I've been blurred before!
Exactly!
We had someone come into our studio to interview us about Youtube.
And then, later on we watched it on Korean TV. (S: Yeah)
And they blurred out my whole arm! (S: Hey!)
Next time don't come to my studio and censor me!
What the heck!
C'mon!
It's just Spudgy, Meemers, and a cupcake!
Because it used to be considered "gangster".
Right
But I mean, c'mon. (S: C'mon)
It's not all gangster anymore. (S: Aye, c'mon)
A puppy and a kitty! And that's banned?!
I'm part of the "Puppy Kitty" crew. We're bad!
You're lame, is what you are.
I barf in your shoes! Mm!
Nudity is also banned in Korea
And interestingly, not only nudity
But boxer shorts are also blurred in Korea.
So, some of you may have read the controversy.
I think it was on "Show Me the Money"
Which is like the opposite of "Unpretty Rapstar", the rap show.
They had to apologize because at some point
The boxers were not blurred out.
You're not allowed to show underwear
So, what you learn from this is, if you're in Korea
You need to go commando!
Because, otherwise, if you show your underwear
Then you can be blurred and censored.
Don't wear underwear in Korea. Fact!
(M: But...) KOCSCers demand it!
Okay, but here's what's...
Oh, no
It's a show about being rap and gangster. (S: Yeah)
They have to apologize for saying lyrics that are offensive.
They get their boxers blurred out.
They can't have tattoos.
You can't show guns.
Korean rap is, so much, hilarious!
I'm not going to get into all that right now.
♪ I'm really nice. I like mice. ♪ (S: Oh, please!)
♪ I'm wearing a sweatshirt ♪ (S: It just burns me inside *vomit sounds*)
♪ You can't see my boxers ♪
♪ I don't have tattoos, 'cos they're not good! ♪
Now, not ALL nudity is banned on television
Even though a lot of it is.
If it is considered an artwork
Then that is acceptable.
Yeah, I'm thinking, like, Michaelangelo's whatever. (S: Yeah)
S: Like a painting or whatnot.
You're not gonna like blur that out.
Like, what's the point?
Kpop videos do not count for artwork.
*Laughs*
Don't get mad at us!
No, hey! I didn't make up these rules!
Hey, I'm just sayin'! (M: I'm just sayin')
And perhaps one of my favourite and most interesting
Things that are blurred or censored on Korean television
Brand logos.
Okay
You guys have for sure seen a show
Without a doubt!
Somebody picks up their phone
And there's like tape across the back
Or they open up their laptop
And the logo is taped over.
Or sometimes (M: Or it's blurry)
Even the shirts.
You might see the mosaic covering the logo of their shirts.
Except it's obviously Adidas. (S: Yeah)
But it's like blurred out and you can still read it. (S: Right)
The only time it is not blurred.
Is if the show has paid for product placement.
So in any TV show in Korea
If do you wind up seeing the logo
That company has paid for the right to show their logo in the TV show.
And I find this really interesting
Because I think it's actually MORE distracting
And I'm drawn MORE to something.
Exactly!
Like, if I see an obvious iPhone
And there's like a piece of tape over it
You're immediately like "what's that tape?"
And then, you're like "oh, it's an iPhone".
In Korea, indirect advertising is considered illegal.
Or showing brand logos is illegal
Because the focus of the show is not to promote another brand.
Or to persuade the viewers to buy a specific product.
But, when a program is sponsored by a specific product or company
It's okay to show the logo, and to not blur things out.
Essentially, the KOCSC believes that
If you're paying for a product placement
You're doing it in the most natural way possible.
Which, I disagree with because
I've seen a lot of Korean dramas where it's very awkward.
*Sudden Pause*
Simon, what are you doing?
Oh, me?
I'm just using the "HelloTalk" app.
Whoa! It's so crystal clear.
It's not blurred up, or taped over, or anything.
S: I felt like this was the perfect time
For me to brush up on my Korean
Via the HelloTalk app.
S: I can chat with people who are native speakers
And I can have grammar corrections while we're chatting
And I can have the translate function
Help me if I'm having any issues.
Thank you, HelloTalk, for being so natural
And so awesome.
Yes! That was totally natural, don't you think?
*Hesitation* I do!
Interestingly, the most commonly used product placements
Are usually done by cellphone, clothing, and TV companies.
So, some of you may be wondering why
Some things are banned and some things aren't.
Well, essentially, things that are aired during certain times
Where they consider they have younger audiences
Like Kpop videos, or TV shows like "Running Man".
Will be under higher scrutiny.
So, an example of this on the 243rd episode of Running Man
Ji Suk-jin was caught smoking a cigarette.
Even though it was really, really tiny
At the top of the screen.
It was actually an E-cigarette, too.
An E-cigarette, yes.
And, SBS got in trouble for this.
So, they had to issue an apology for not editing out
the smoking scene.
If you guys don't watch Running Man, you really should.
Not sponsored. Just, Running Man is fun.
We should probably bleep out everytime you say Running Man.
*Laughs*
We blur out *bleep* every time. (S: And you mouth's just *bleep*)
Also, if somebody says a brand name
Which includes like restaurants or, like clothing stores
And the place hasn't been paid for
For product placement, it would be bleeped out.
When it comes to things being banned in Kpop videos
That's actually a different organization.
That's the Ministry of Gender Equality and Families.
We're gonna talk about some examples
Of what they banned in our blog post.
So make sure you click on the link here
If you wanna see other things that have been banned.
MOGEF.
The MOGEF!
Not as good as KOCSCers.
No, not as good.
Now, I'm really curious about the differences here
Because, let me just tell you
Going to Europe for the first time
I saw a lot of boobies.
On TV, there isn't a lot of banning of that kinda stuff.
So, what are things that DO get banned in your country?
Let us know in the comment section below.
I have a funny story about going to Italy with my family
And all of us turning on the TV screen in the hotel
And seeing a girl run down the beach
With like no shirt on, and then rubbing sunblock on.
And my mom, and sister and dad and I
Are all like...
Where's the remote?!!?!
AHHHH!! *Panic sounds*
You know what I always wanted to know
In North America, female nipples can not be shown
But you can have really skimp bikinis. (M: Yes.)
But male nipples can be shown.
M: You can show male nipples.
What happens if you had a bikini
But the bikini had a picture of a male nipple?
Ohhh!
Well, what if you take a picture of a male nipple
And you stick it over on top of it.
Ah-ha!
And it just covers it. (S: Right!)
Male nipples are allowed, female nipples aren't.
Nipples! I can't say "Nippurs"! (M: Nippurs!)