“They’re basically just not allowed” - BABYMONSTER’s recent McDonalds ad triggers comments over toxic idol culture
Young K-pop girl group BABYMONSTER recently took part in an endorsement campaign for the popular fast-food brand McDonald’s Hong Kong. However, fans were quick to point out that the advertisements subtly reflected the toxic pressures often present in the idol industry. Despite promoting a food brand, none of the members were shown actually eating the food, not even during the shoot.
Many attributed this to the strict diets K-pop idols are expected to maintain, while others speculated it could be because food used in commercials is often inedible or artificially prepared.
Regardless of the reason, fans found it concerning to see the members refrain from even a single bite, sparking a wave of critical comments online.
"Promoting something they won't ever do is so hilarious, why promote something like junk food when you yourself aren't even daring to eat it??!??" a fan interrogated.
"Endorsing a food that you fake eating will NOT SELL..." a fan stated.
"Because they are on strict diets," a fan wrote.
While some fans opined about the dieting, others claimed that it is because of the advertising norms:
"If they actually do this because of diet then this is sick they literally won't gain any weight after one bite of burger," a fan claimed.
"Because the burgers are fake usually in advertising they show fake burgers which are not edible," a fan giving explanation.
"I think it's because first of all they're on a diet and second is that it's a commercial which means the food has dyes to make them look more appealing so that's why they should not eat them (I'm not really sure)" a fan said.
BABYMONSTER collaborates with McDonald's Hong Kong for their 50th anniversary
On April 23, 2025, McDonald’s Hong Kong partnered with the rising K-pop girl group BABYMONSTER to launch a limited-edition campaign. As part of this collaboration, they unveiled exclusive BABYMONSTER collectibles available through select menu purchases.
The highlight is a "McDonald's x BABYMONSTER" cassette photo card set, designed to resemble a retro tape, which includes photocards and autograph cards of all seven members.
The campaign was officially revealed through McDonald’s Hong Kong’s YouTube channel and various social media platforms, featuring promotional photos and videos with the group.
However, the commercial quickly sparked discussions among fans, not just for its visuals, but for what it represented. Observers noted that the members only pretended to take bites of the burgers, which many found unsettling.
This fueled ongoing conversations about the strict and often toxic standards in the K-pop industry, where idols are expected to adhere to intense diets and maintain certain body images, even when promoting food products.
Despite the controversy, the campaign aims to bring a taste of Korea to Hong Kong through its limited-edition menu items. These include Sweet N’ Spicy crispy chicken thighs, Jeju mandarin soda, Korean-style banana milk dual pies, black truffle seaweed-flavored shake fries, etc.
For BABYMONSTER, this collaboration marks a milestone, aligning them with one of the world’s most recognized food brands during a major celebratory moment like the 50th anniversary of McDonald’s Hong Kong.
