Effectively Calling Out Cultural Appropriation: Simu Liu on the Dragon’s Den
Written by Deborah Lau-Yu
“There’s an issue of taking something that’s very distinctly Asian in its identity and quote unquote ‘making it better,’ which I have an issue with.
”
The internet went into a frenzy, response statements were issued, a business investment revoked, but the tensions still not quelled. A quick look into why the resolution is not satisfactory for most also reveals the positive side of shedding light on important cultural issues, and not sweeping them under the rug. Ahead of the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend, an incident erupted on hit television show, Dragons' Den, known for featuring prominent business people who are presented business pitches by entrepreneurs from all over the country. This is the first season that Marvel star Simu Liu stepped up to be a guest Dragon on the show alongside new Dragon Brian Scudamore, founder of 1-800-Got Junk?, joining the experienced tycoons from the den, Arlene Dickinson, Wes Hall, Manjit Minhas and Michele Romanow.
In short, a Quebec-based company presented their product, Bobba, which is ironically an obscured spelling of Boba, the name of the drink from which their beverage offering is derived. 'Boba' is the alternative name for 'bubble tea,' tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s and made its way through diaspora communities to North America in the 90s. The 'Boba' refers to the bubbles, the spherical chewy tapioca pearls served in milk tea, and has been adapted as a term referring to the entire beverage.
During Bobba's presentation, where they were seeking a $1m investment from the Dragons for an 18% stake in their company, co-founders Sébastien Fiset and Jess Frenette crossed the line of cultural appropriation. They claimed to be bettering bubble tea with their pre-packaged version and their alcoholic take on the drink, and offensively stating that bubble tea was “that trendy sugary drink that you queue up for and you’re never quite sure about its content.” The cringe-worthy statement is all too familiar for minorities who face similar microaggressions regularly.
A known bubble tea lover, Liu immediately interjected to indicate his familiarity with the traditional drink and at multiple points in the presentation, gave the company chances to answer his questions and criticisms, asking for them to speak about the reverence to its origins and roots. The founders continued to flounder with sweeping statements about disturbing the market and claimed to have “transformed this beloved beverage into a convenient and healthier ready-to-drink experience” with “high-quality tea, fruit juice, and our famous popping boba,” with dismissive facial expressions.
What made the segment more frustrating for viewers was the lack of discretion from the other dragons including Dickinson, Romanow and especially Minhas, who rudely cut off and spoke over Liu several times, further dismissing his concerns. “Then there’s also the issue of cultural appropriation,” Liu continued after being met twice with resistance by Minhas, who ironically is from an Asian heritage herself. “There’s an issue of taking something that’s very distinctly Asian in its identity and quote unquote ‘making it better,’ which I have an issue with.” Minhas proceeded with the investment into the business, to the horror of anyone who's tried to make progress in the area of cultural work or any work that seeks to create products or campaigns that are authentic, original and respectful.
While the online community reacted to Liu's criticisms with praise for the star's elegance and poise in the face of being up against another Dragon and the silence of the others, the tensions rippled through the Asian community across North America, where the memories of standing up to Asian hate during the pandemic, and the cultural appropriation of Mahjong in 2021 still felt fresh. It sparked passionate conversations about many societal issues when it comes to. Chef Trevor Lui pointed out the history lesson on tea itself, which was missed in all the frenzy, "considering its violent lineage of colonization and cultivation from both China and India," when commenting on Liu's strength in standing up for the issue "when no one else thought it mattered."
Over the weekend, Liu was the first to respond to the huge outpouring of commentary online, cautioning followers to have productive and positive debates and dialogue and not to spew hate or ill will at the Bobba owners, “if we cannot engage in thoughtful and compassionate dialogue, then nothing will change,” he wrote. Minhas eventually issued a statement that fell flat for most audiences, and drew further criticism as she uttered more excuses and tried to sound like she was teamed up with Liu in standing up for the sharing of culture: “I believe wholeheartedly, our cultures are meant to be shared, and this includes food, drink, clothing, dance, languages and weddings. Those of us like Simu and I who have platforms to do so always try to use these platforms to educate and enjoy and explore all cultures." She did withdraw her decision to invest in the company, but fell short of any apology for her actions and words, and for the way she dismissed Liu, which left people still feeling angry. Bobba also issued a statement on Monday to apologize for the cultural appropriation, noting the learning opportunity, but continued to displease audiences with many excuses and lines of reasoning, including a claim on poor choice of words due to English being a second language.
This entire situation was unplanned, but became a landmark moment for the Dragons’ Den this season, and serves as an important reminder that authenticity and cultural heritage do matter very deeply to many, many people. And there is great hope and value in that alone.
In all the comments online, the course of events from this Bobba business pitch is a great example of the education and debate that is constantly needed in our society in order to build a strong and respectful social fabric of many cultures co-existing and enriching each other. It might not always be comfortable, but when issues are confronted and effectively debated, it does lead us all to a better place. Congratulations to Simu for effectively calling out cultural appropriation, igniting an important worldwide conversation, and being aware of his influence, also taking up the responsibility to follow and steer the reactions.
Where do you stand on the controversy and how do you feel about how the issue unfolded? We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Celebrate the Tradition of Boba with us
In light of what happened with the Dragons’ Den incident of cultural appropriation of boba, we wanted to shine the spotlight on one of the original bubble tea franchises from Taiwan that opened in Toronto and Canada in the mid-1980s, and one that many readers here might remember as the place they gathered with high school friends, had their first date, hosted a business meeting or simply the place that finally served a drink with Asian fruit flavours that were familiar.
Click below to learn more and enter our bubble tea giveaway!
Fête Chinoise is a cultural platform that aims to empower individuals to deepen the connection between identity and Chinese culture. Through a curated lens and critical thinking, we present meaningful stories, artful experiences, and inspiring products.
MORE FROM Fête CHinoise
Bringing popular cultural foods and beverages to market in a place as culturally diverse as Canada is an enriching journey for entrepreneurs and consumers. We continue to hone in on bubble tea with another innovator and industry leader that has brought a drink that a majority of our readers are bound to have tried. Drawing on his experience of introducing Chatime to Canada 13 years ago and overseeing its growth ever since, Kenton knows firsthand that the bubble tea market is highly competitive, with new brands constantly emerging. Staying authentic, high-quality, and offering customizable options are key.