Firms used celebrity videos, AI images to falsely market regular food as treatment for ear conditions, regulator finds

South Korean food safety authorities have caught companies using celebrity videos and AI-generated images to falsely advertise ordinary food as a treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and tinnitus.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Thursday that its Emergency Response Team on Illegal Food Practices conducted a focused review of online advertisements for products related to the two conditions, amid growing consumer interest, and identified 11 companies for false or exaggerated advertising.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo — commonly known as BPPV, or "ear rocks" — is a leading cause of dizziness, occurring when calcium crystals in the inner ear's vestibular system become dislodged. Tinnitus refers to the perception of sound, such as ringing or buzzing, in the ears or head without any external source.

One of the companies used videos featuring celebrities to mislead consumers about a product's efficacy, with advertising copy that included phrases such as "tinnitus circuit blocker," "tinnitus-blocking nutritional supplement" and "auditory nerve protection."

Another company used AI-generated images of human tissue to visually depict the supposed improvement of BPPV and tinnitus, effectively advertising ordinary food as effective in treating the conditions, according to the investigation.

The 11 companies collectively sold about 520,000 units of their products, generating sales of approximately 19.2 billion won ($12.4 million), the ministry said.

"BPPV and tinnitus are conditions that require medical diagnosis and treatment," a ministry official said. "There are no foods or health functional foods recognized as having any efficacy or effect in preventing or treating them."

The official added that anyone experiencing or suspecting symptoms of either condition should visit a medical institution for appropriate treatment.

The ministry urged consumers to carefully check whether advertisements are false or exaggerated before purchasing products that claim disease-prevention or treatment effects, warning that such claims can cloud consumer judgment. It said it plans to continuously strengthen inspections and crackdowns on illegal online advertising that promotes disease treatment effects.