"Equipment to Easily Lie Down and Win at Work"... Chinese Comedian's 'Women's Underwear Advertisement' Controversy

Chinese comedian Li Dan.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A famous Chinese stand-up comedian has sparked controversy for making disparaging remarks about women.

According to the Global Times on the 26th, Chinese comedian Li Dan (31) promoted on Weibo on the 24th in collaboration with the Chinese underwear brand Ubras, advertising it as "equipment that allows women to easily lie down and win at work."

Chinese netizens who saw the advertisement criticized, saying, "Are women supposed to succeed at work without working, just by wearing underwear?" "Please explain how women can 'lie down' and win at work with underwear," and "Does this mean women's efforts at work are meaningless?"

As the controversy spread, Ubras took steps to manage the situation.

Ubras deleted all related advertisement posts and apologized, stating, "Our intention was to express that our product is so comfortable that it helps women reduce fatigue in work and daily life."

Li Dan also apologized through his personal account. He said, "The promotional method was very inappropriate, and I should have anticipated such repercussions," adding, "I will consider women and their feelings more carefully in future work."

Chinese netizens continue to criticize both parties, saying their apologies are insufficient.

A woman working in Beijing criticized in an interview, "They knew what kind of impact that phrase would have, but they advertised that way to attract public attention. It is very disgusting."

Meanwhile, Li Dan co-produced a show called Lost and Rock in 2017 with Tencent Penguin Pictures to promote stand-up comedy culture. He is regarded as a figure who spread stand-up comedy, which was not well known to the Chinese public.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.