'Great British Bake Off' Grilled Over 'Problematic' Japanese Week

A recent episode of Great British Bake Off is being criticized for cultural insensitivity. The [...]

By Michael Hein

A recent episode of Great British Bake Off is being criticized for cultural insensitivity. The "Japanese week" installment of the beloved reality show has many viewers cringing, or even outraged, on social media. Many believe the episode perpetuated negative stereotypes of Japanese culture and people and noted that it was also full of inaccuracies.

The "Japanese week" episode of GBBO featured three challenges supposedly built around Japanese themes, but viewers thought it fell short. The Signature Bake was a batch of eight steamed buns called bao, which actually originated in China, not Japan. The Technical Challenge required bakers to make a matcha crepe cake, with plenty of other non-Japanese techniques and ingredients along the way. One of the overwhelming criticisms here was that the show was reinforcing the racist and harmful view that all East Asian cultures are essentially the same, and interchangeable.

Critics were particularly furious because they saw the potential that the episode did not live up to. Torchwood star Naoko Mori tweeted: "With [Paul Hollywood] apparently having recently visited Japan, I ready, set, and waited in anticipation for tonight. "Would they be baking DORAYAKI? Might they be making MUSHIPAN? Or could they be using MOCHI or baking SENBEI...?? The answer was no. None of the above."

Adding to the insults here were numerous mispronunciations, which viewers thought was avoidable, and a heavy reliance on the stereotype of "Kawaii" aesthetic. Here is a look at how viewers responded to Great British Bake Off's controversial "Japanese week" episode.

Cringe

Many viewers' initial reaction was to cringe at the episode, seeing all the things it got wrong while everyone on screen seemed oblivious to the details.

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Unfinished

Some fans left this particular episode unfinished, unable to get past an early infraction in the "problematic" episode. They also recalled previous time when the show missed the mark on cultural representation.

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Outrage

Of course, there were many who took to social media to vent their anger at the episode, first and foremost. They were incredulous that a big team of TV producers could all make these mistakes, guessing that it meant there were no Japanese people hired to check on the choices for these challenges.

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Helpful Alternatives

Instead of focusing on what the show got wrong, some users tried to be constructive, highlighting the opportunities the series missed. British anthropology professor Dr. Emily Emmott tweeted an extensive thread of Japanese baked goods that she would have rather seen on the show.

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Reluctant

Many viewers see Great British Bake Off and similar shows as "comfort-watches," so they were sad to find an episode that gave them this kind of anxiety. They were reluctant to admit that the "Japanese Week" challenges didn't sit right with them at first.

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Interchangeable

Criticism of this episode sparked some broader discussions about why the implication that various East Asian cultures are interchangeable is harmful. Many Twitter users explained how this perpetuates stereotypes and reinforces racist assumptions.

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Bakers

Finally, many viewers suggested that the show might have taken Japanese Week more seriously if it had had some East Asian bakers in the line-up this season to double-check the challenges. This was yet another reason to seek diversity in TV casting.

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