"Collected for Broadcasting"... The Identity of the Dead Skin Cells Vigorously Removed on Home Shopping

KCSC Issues Legal Sanctions Warning to 4 Product Sales Broadcasts
"Deceptive to Consumers"

It was revealed that the foot dead skin shown being wiped off smoothly during a calligraphy remover sales broadcast on home shopping was not actual dead skin but a staged effect made from rice grains and other materials.

[Photo by a home shopping broadcast scene featuring exfoliation products]

On the 29th, Media Today reported that at the full meeting of the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) held the previous day, a legal sanction of "warning" was decided against home shopping companies that aired scenes using artificially created "fake dead skin" to make it appear as if the calligraphy remover had an improvement effect. The companies that received legal sanctions were GSMYSHOP (February 20), SK Stoa (February 25), Hyundai Home Shopping Plus Shop (March 7), and W Shopping (April 20).

The show hosts in the broadcasts promoted the product by showing scenes of wiping off white foot dead skin, claiming the calligraphy remover was highly effective. Actual statements included expressions such as "It sounds a bit funny to say I collected it for about a week for the broadcast. I worked hard to collect it" (SK Stoa), "The dead skin is no joke. But if you just pass by like this..." (GS MY SHOP), and "I also take care of it, but isn't it because of this season?" (Hyundai Home Shopping Plus Shop).

They added credibility by saying it was embarrassing to show their own dead skin, but the white dead skin was actually fake, made by mixing rice grains and glue sticks. Although subtitles stating "Scenes staged to help customer understanding" sometimes appeared on screen, it was not easy to infer that it was not real dead skin. Home shopping representatives who appeared to give statements admitted, "We apologize for the inappropriate staging" and pledged, "We will make efforts to prevent recurrence."

The commission members judged the violation of regulations to be serious enough to warrant heavy sanctions. Commissioner Kim Jeong-su said, "Staging can be done. However, it must be clearly stated that the staging is to help understanding," adding, "Otherwise, it is fraud." Chairman Ryu Hee-rim also pointed out, "This was a recorded program, and the review team must have seen the host's remarks," and said, "It deceived consumers. The host pretending it was real dead skin is a serious level of deception."

Netizens who heard the news responded with comments such as "Isn't this fraud?" "I believed they really didn't wash, but I was naive," and "Helping understanding and fraud are clearly different."