Married woman calls Takagi Ramen ‘unethical’ for featuring her in matchmaking service without permission
On Saturday (15 Feb), actress Chermaine Kumar uploaded a TikTok video titled: “POV: I went to bed married, but woke up single.”
@chermainekumar I didn’t plan to share this publicly, but after multiple attempts to get the F&B to remove ALL my photos, they’ve shown little accountability. I don’t want people to get the wrong impression that I’m dating, and honestly, it’s unethical for companies to use someone’s image like this without consent. This is not okay. So here’s my side of the story. And happy valentine’s day y’all. #fypsg #fyp #valentinesday #chermainekumar #unethical #noconsent #singapore
The video was in response to Takagi Ramen’s Valentine’s Day matchmaking service, which featured the photos, names, ages, heights, and weights of individuals interested in participating.
Source: Takagi Ramen on Facebook
To her surprise, Ms Kumar found that her photo had been included in the matchmaking feature without her consent.
She was particularly shocked because the image used was from an Instagram post that showed her with her husband.
“Marketing guy never do homework,” Ms Kumar commented.
Takagi Ramen has since removed the image from its social media platforms.
Woman & her mother unaware of purpose of Takagi Ramen’s social media campaign
In her video, Ms Kumar explained that her mother, who works at Takagi Ramen, was approached by her boss for a photo of Ms Kumar and assistance with the company’s social media marketing campaign.
Thinking they wanted to engage Ms Kumar as a content creator, her mother sent over two of her TikTok videos.
They later asked for Ms Kumar’s age, height, and weight, which was “a bit weird”, but her mother provided the details anyway.
Ms Kumar explained that there was “no further correspondence” after that, and no agreement or consent was given.
Source: TikTok
“We didn’t even know what he was going to use the information for,” she said.
Woman ‘disappointed’ with Takagi Ramen’s response when she reached out
Ms Kumar later contacted Takagi Ramen, suggesting a solution where they could engage her as a paid actor.
Her offer was declined, and she was disappointed by their response.
The company claimed that Ms Kumar’s mother had obtained permission for the matchmaking feature.
“I’m not a child. Parental consent is not my consent,” she pointed out.
Although Takagi Ramen has since removed her image from its social media platforms, photos of her continue to circulate in the mass media, which remains beyond her control.
Ms Kumar’s friend even spotted her feature still displayed at one of Takagi Ramen’s branches.
Source: TikTok
Ms Kumar has reached out to people and lawyers about her next course of action, but she also felt compelled to share her side of the story.
“I didn’t plan to share this publicly, but after multiple attempts to get the F&B to remove ALL my photos, they’ve shown little accountability,” she wrote in her caption.
I don’t want people to get the wrong impression that I’m dating, and honestly, it’s unethical for companies to use someone’s image like this without consent.
Takagi Ramen issues statement regarding the situation
On Sunday (16 Feb), Takagi Ramen released a statement addressing Ms Kumar’s TikTok video on its social media platforms.
While the company expressed deep regret for any distress caused to Ms Kumar and her family, it sought to clarify some misconceptions about the content creator and her mother’s awareness of the campaign.
According to the statement, Ms Kumar’s mother, who is a manager at Takagi Ramen, was “fully aware of the campaign details”.
The restaurant chain also claimed that it had no prior knowledge of Ms Kumar’s marital status.
As part of its response, Takagi Ramen included screenshots of its WhatsApp conversations with Ms Kumar’s mother.
Source: Takagi Ramen on Facebook
It explained that, given her managerial role, it reasonably assumed the information provided had been given with the necessary consent.
Takagi Ramen stated that it “cooperated fully by removing the posts” once the issue was raised.
However, it claimed that Ms Kumar “escalated” the situation by uploading her TikTok video on 15 Feb, after the campaign had already concluded.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, Takagi Ramen has introduced new procedures, including requiring consent through identity verification and a signed agreement.
The company also assured that it has addressed the situation internally and spoken with all staff involved, including Ms Kumar’s mother.
“We remain committed to handling this matter professionally and responsibly,” Takagi Ramen concluded.
MS News has reached out to Ms Kumar for her response to Takagi Ramen’s statement.
Also read: Takagi Ramen launches Valentine’s Day matchmaking service, will arrange candlelit dates with roses
Takagi Ramen launches Valentine’s Day matchmaking service, will arrange candlelit dates with roses
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Featured image adapted from @chermainekumar on TikTok.
