Chop It Down: The Kim Jong-un Billboard Fiasco

In a plot twist that could only happen in the land of dragons and leeks (Wales, for those not in the know), a 50ft billboard in Cardiff featuring Kim Jong-un enjoying a hearty meal with the slogan "Ahhh, Soul!" has stirred up more trouble than a bowl of overcooked noodles.

The ad's catchphrase, seemingly inspired by the Japanese phrase "ā sō," which in the real world means "I understand," here took a detour into stereotype alley.

Social media erupted faster than you could say "cultural appropriation". "Why, oh why, did they think this was a good idea in 2020?" pondered one user, perhaps while sipping on their non-offensive, ethically sourced oat latte. "Who's running the show at Soulful Food Co.? The cast of 'Mean Girls'?" another quipped.

But amidst the digital uproar, one brave soul dared to stand against the tide, declaring, "Best ad I've seen all year! Controversy sells, and it made my day brighter than a Welsh sunrise."

However, not all were there for the controversy; the same company had previously graced the world with an equally tasteful billboard of President Trump, fork in hand, proclaiming his love for Mexicans. The “Mexicans, I love 'em.” billboard received no complaints.

In a corporate mea culpa that could have been written by a particularly apologetic AI, a Soulful Food Co. representative said, “We're sorry for the chopstick up the nose this ad has caused. Our aim was to spread soul, not stereotypes. The billboards are coming down faster than a dictator's bad mood.” No, I'm totally fibbing, what they said was: “We’re really sorry we’ve caused offense and realize we have made a misjudgment with this advert. Our intention was to highlight the world needs more soul right now, but we got the message wrong. We will be taking them down as soon as possible.”

And there you have it, the story of how an attempt to bring a bit of soul to the streets of Cardiff ended with a billboard being taken down, proving once again that in advertising, as in life, it's all about how you eat your words. ;)