The screen capture above was taken from the main Google search page. I typed in the word "초", a common word analogous to anything in English like "a", "be", "sum", etc. AND Google returned totally unacceptable search results for the general public. Here's the list of top keyword suggestions you see up there:
"elementary school kids nude"
"elementary school kids know the taste" (a very good chance for sexual connotation)
"elementary school girl with very glamorous/sexy body"
"elementary school kids sexy/porn pictures"
"elementary school kid fxxxing another elementary school kid"
("초딩" is a derogatory jargon for an elementary school student)
Now, I'm sure Google somehow optimizes its keyword suggestion mechanism based on its users' previous search keywords; and if that's the case, shame to my country for being full of pedophiles!!
And kudos to Google for standing up for "freedom of expression".
Hm.. HELLO??? Am I missing something here???
Apart from my disappointment and anger, here's the thing: if you're a global company and if you're serious about a certain local market, you're left only with two choices: become one of them or become what they aspire. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in the previous post, Google is NOT, and will never become, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, BMW, or even Apple, in that matter. We don't "aspire" to google. It's not Google's fault; Google is just simply built to be a brand for everyday life like Walmart, Nabisco, or Mr. Clean. It's to be "consumed."
With this kind of low search quality and possibly ads-matching quality, (there are many other more "normal" and "valuable" Korean keywords that begin with "초"), yes, it isn't too difficult to see why Google is mightily struggling in Korea.
I desperately hope global companies realize this. Sometimes you just got to let go of your dogma. As much as the world is turning much more globally interwoven, global platforms don't work in many places, esp. when carrying local, cultural and contextual subtleties.
Alright. My rant ends here. Sorry to the readers about the tone of the post ; but at the same time, I'm hoping that my emotional response was also profoundly rooted in my strong passion and liking for Google.
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