Uma Musume criticized for sexual objectification of minors in the National Assembly of South Korea

Uma Musume criticized for sexual objectification of minors in the National Assembly of South Korea

As a long-time gamer and avid follower of Japanese pop culture, I have been eagerly anticipating the global release of Uma Musume Pretty Derby. The game’s unique concept of anthropomorphized horse girls has always intrigued me, and its expansion into various media formats is a testament to its popularity.


As a dedicated gamer, I’m thrilled to share that “Uma Musume Pretty Derby,” the engaging simulation game developed by Cygames, is making great strides towards a global release on various mobile platforms. The English version is just around the corner! Yet, despite this exciting news, there’s been some controversy surrounding our beloved game in South Korea’s National Assembly. Critics claim that Uma Musume portrays “minors as sexual objects,” which has raised concerns and sparked heated debates.

The Horse Girls’ portrayal of characters in Uma Musume is seen as controversial

Last week, on July 16, 2024, Lee Byung-jin, a Democratic Party legislator, expressed worries about the game during the committee meeting of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, as they presented their work report.

I came across some controversial YouTube videos recently, and it turns out they were created by the Korea Racing Authority. In these videos, they portrayed racehorses as women or young females, which sparked quite a reaction. The authority later clarified that they had taken down the content due to copyright concerns.

Uma Musume criticized for sexual objectification of minors in the National Assembly of South Korea

If you’re not up-to-speed, Uma Musume is a spin-off from the widely recognized manga and animation series carrying the same name. The title translates to “Horse Girls.” Initially launched as a mobile game in 2018, it has since expanded into an extensive franchise comprising anime, manga, and merchandise. Numerous installments have emerged under this brand, such as Pretty Derby, over the years.

Another way to phrase this is: He added that the absence of women executives in the organization might be contributing to this issue. The presence of horses with male and female riders, along with students wearing uniforms, has sparked debates regarding the inappropriate sexualization of young people.

Korea Game Users Association disagrees with the lawmaker, supports Uma Musume

Despite Byung-jin’s objections, the Korea Game Users Association disagreed. They argued that Uma Musume didn’t have a record of controversy regarding sexual objectification within the game itself. Moreover, they defended the 12+ rating as valid.

The head of the Association, Lee Chul-woo, pointed out that depicting such scenes is usual in webtoons, Korean dramas, and K-pop music. He believed that this critical perspective towards games reveals a lack of knowledge. Moreover, he urged legislators to take into consideration the opinions of video game enthusiasts.

The game created quite a sensation in Japan’s mobile gaming industry and is expected to draw even more players with its global launch. I fervently hope that any potential issues resulting from cultural differences won’t arise, as they could spark controversies. We’ll have a better understanding once the game is released, so for now, let’s be patient.

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2024-07-22 15:11

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