Meghan Markle accused of stereotyping Asians with her childhood memories of NAKED Korean spas and 'noodles'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Meghan Markle was accused of stereotyping "the Asian experience" after sharing how she would accompany her mother to a Korean spa and the two would enjoy a bowl of noodles later.
In the latest episode of Archetypes, released Tuesday, October 4, the Duchess of Sussex spoke of her embarrassment as a teenager at a Korean spa, which are traditionally nude. The 41-year-old invited Margaret Cho and Lisa Ling to her podcast to discuss Asian representation and the "Dragon Lady" trope. She told them she cherished the various ethnic backgrounds that constituted Los Angeles and that "the multitude of Asian cultures was a huge part of that for me."
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"My weekends were spent in Little Tokyo, or having iced teas in Thai Town, or sitting with my friend Christina Wong and her parents at a local Chinese restaurant," Meghan said, "I remember this so vividly and them teaching me why chow fun with dry noodles was so much better than chow fun with wet noodles." She continued, "I had a real love of getting to know other cultures. And part of that, my mom and I would often go to the Korean spa together. Now those of you who haven't been to one before, it's a very humbling experience for a girl going through puberty, because you enter a room with women from ages 9 to maybe 90 all walking around naked, and waiting to get a body scrub on one of the tables lined up in a row."
"All I wanted was a bathing suit, but you're not allowed, by the way," the Duchess recalled. "And once I was over that adolescent embarrassment, my mom and I, we would go upstairs, having a steaming bowl of the most delicious noodles, and we'd look around at all of these other women. These beautiful Korean women who had embraced the generational tradition of the jimjilbang and shared it with one another." At one point in the discussion, she admitted that she didn't fully grasp the stigmas faced by women of Asian descent until years later.
Nonetheless, the Duchess was trolled on social media for her comments, with some accusing her of reducing Asian culture to 'spas and noodles'. "Did Meghan Markle really just say that she understands the Asian experience because she went to a Korean spa and ate noodles after?? Oh lord," one tweeted. "Here’s what Meghan thinks makes her an expert on Asians…childhood experiences in bath houses/spas and eating noodles. Ummmmm seems a little bit one-dimensional and encouraging of stereotypes," another offered. "All the people required for this latest Meghan flop-cast," someone else wrote, sharing a list of people behind the 'Archetypes' podcast. "Did none of them think to tell Megsy to not equate Asian plights to spas and noodles?"
"You said you were poor, coupons, selling scrunchies but now you're saying you had regular body scrubs with momma &hot noodles...Such lies you tell," a comment alleged. "And still, none of them understand the difference between 'archetypes' & 'stereotypes'! MM herself has stereotyped all her guests so far with the latest identifying 'Asians' with Korean spas & noodles & somehow tying in KillBill & A/Powers," another chimed in.
Did Meghan Markle really just say that she understands the Asian experience because she went to a Korean spa and ate noodles after?? Oh lord.😳 #archetypes #archetypespodcasthttps://t.co/h2YlhHoJ5R
— Kate Shaw (@acutetroll20) October 4, 2022
Here’s what Meghan thinks makes her an expert on Asians…childhood experiences in bath houses/spas and eating noodles. Ummmmm seems a little bit one dimensional and encouraging of stereotypes pic.twitter.com/4Mzwchnfwn
— blink_twice_harry (@MakeItStopHarry) October 5, 2022
All the people required for this latest Meghan flop-cast
— MeghansMole©️ (@MeghansMole) October 5, 2022
Did none of them think to tell Megsy to not equate Asian plights to spas and noodles ? pic.twitter.com/pS3ZlalsSL
Meghan recalls 'humbling experience' of 'walking around naked' in spa https://t.co/tkNNWJ4KMG#MeghanMarkIe #ArchetypesWithMeghan
— GrannyPI (@FiggyBushLemons) October 4, 2022
You said you were poor, coupons, selling scrunchies but now you're saying you had regular body scrubs with momma &hot noodles..🔥
Such lies you tell