After Chinese Canadian actor Simu Liu voiced concerns about cultural appropriation over a Boba Company on ‘Dragons’ Den’, the controversy has witnessed a downward spiral online. It all began on the episode of the Shark Tank-style show, where Sébastien Fiset and Jess Frenette, founders of a Quebec-based bottled bubble tea brand, pitched their business plan for ‘Bobba’.
Bubble tea or boa, a traditionally Taiwanese tea-based drink has exploded in popularity across the globe over the past decade. Fiset said that their company ‘Bobba’ has transformed the beloved beverage into a “convenient, healthier, ready-to-drink experience,” using “three simple ingredients”: high-quality tea, fruit juice, and popping boba.
Upon listening to the pitch, Liu known for his roles in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Barbie, took an issue with the brand for cultural appropriation. He referred to the racist stereotype of Asian foods being unhealthy and dirty and pointed out how non-Asian people set out to make these foods ‘clean.’
The recent controversy surrounding the boba tea company Bobba and actor Simu Liu has sparked a significant debate on cultural appropriation, particularly in the context of food and beverages…#bobbatea #simuliu #bobatea #bobba #bubbletea #dragonsden pic.twitter.com/zJD5Voirw2
— Brut America (@brutamerica) October 14, 2024
“I started this venture company for a lot of reasons, but really primarily to uplift minority entrepreneurs. And not only do I feel like this is not happening here, but I would be uplifting a business that is profiting off of something that feels so dear to my cultural heritage. I want to be a part of bringing boba to the masses, but not like this. So for that reason, I’m out,” Liu said in the episode.
This led to a heated debate online with many sending death threats to Bobba. Now, Simu Liu is speaking in support of the company requesting Dragons’ Den fans to stop harassing the Quebec-based bottled bubble tea brand. In a TikTok video, the actor said, “First and foremost, I want to say that I think we hit on a really important discussion about cultural appropriation, what it is, how is something exploitative rather kind of paying homage and paying respect, when is that line crossed, and in that conversation, by the way, I’ve experienced a massive wave of positivity and support from people from every community and I just think that’s really incredible and I really appreciate that.”
Liu continued, “On the flip side, I’ve been made aware that the business owners have received a lot of death threats and harassment and otherwise just kind of bullying and dogpiling, and I just want to say that, full stop, it’s never okay to make threats. It’s never okay to bully and harass online.”
The Shang-Chi star noted, “I think we’re starting to lose the plot of what, ultimately, the positive energy of what this is, which is let’s educate people, let’s make the world a better place, let’s make people aware that certain things aren’t okay from a cultural perspective.”
He concluded the TikTok expressing, “Was it misguided? I believe so. Were they a little ignorant? You know, absolutely, but those are all human things. And so I guess I’m just asking for empathy and compassion.”
In light of the online criticism, ‘Bobba’ has issued a lengthy note of apology on social media, promising they will work with their Taiwanese partners to re-evaluate their “branding, packaging, and marketing strategies” to better represent the drink’s heritage.
Additionally, Canadian entrepreneur Manjit Minhas, who invested in the company on the show, announced she will no longer be backing ‘Bobba’.
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