South Korean star Jun Ji-hyun faces backlash in China over drama dialogue

South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, widely popular in Chinese-speaking regions, is at the center of a growing controversy in mainland China due to a line in her latest drama, Tempest, which some viewers have deemed offensive, leading to a wave of online criticism and apparent brand disassociation.

The controversy stems from a dialogue in Tempest where a character questions why China might favor war, prompting accusations from some Chinese netizens that the show insults their country. 

The backlash has fueled a surge of negative reviews for the drama on online platforms, with many calling for a boycott of the series.

The criticism has also extended to Jun’s endorsement deals, with netizens flooding the social media accounts of brands she represents, demanding her removal as a spokesperson.

On September 20, online posts highlighted that luxury cosmetics brand La Mer and watchmaker Piaget SA, both endorsed by Jun, appear to have distanced themselves from the actress. 

Reports indicate that advertisements and posts featuring Jun have been removed from La Mer’s official Weibo account, with searches for her name on the platform yielding no results. 

Similarly, Piaget SA’s official Tmall store no longer displays advertisements featuring the actress.