Jun Ji-hyun faces backlash in China

Actor Jun Ji-hyun came under fire in China for a line in the Disney+ drama "Tempest" that viewers said insulted the country, with some calling for a boycott of products she endorses.

Actor Jun Ji-hyun poses during a press conference for the Disney+ original series ″Tempest″ at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul on Sept. 2. [YONHAP]

Actor Jun Ji-hyun came under fire in China for a line in the Disney+ drama "Tempest" that viewers said insulted the country, with some calling for a boycott of products she endorses, Hong Kong’s Sing Tao Daily reported on Saturday.

Clips circulating online show a scene from the series in which Jun, who plays presidential candidate Seo Mun-ju, says, “Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall near the border.”

Chinese viewers accused Jun of disparaging China and spreading what they described as inaccurate views, according to Sing Tao Daily.

Others raised concerns about scenes set in Dalian, northeastern China, which they suspect the production team filmed in Hong Kong. Some argued the crew deliberately shot rundown neighborhoods in dark tones to tarnish Dalian's image.

Posts also criticized a scene showing a carpet patterned with China’s five-star symbol being stepped on, as well as a villain speaking Chinese, saying these elements reinforced negative depictions. Some claimed Jun intentionally distorted her pronunciation when reciting verses by poet Li Bai (701–762).

A few users said the dialogue needed to be seen in context, but such opinions gained little traction online.

On China’s major social media platform Weibo, users called for Beijing to maintain its ban on Korean pop culture imports. Brands that feature Jun as their model, including cosmetics and watches, faced boycotts, with some reportedly pulling their ads, Sing Tao Daily said.

Streaming platforms like Disney+ and Netflix are blocked in China, but audiences can access Korean series through unofficial channels. Shows like "Squid Game" (2021-2025), "Moving" (2023) and "The Whirlwind" (2024) have drawn swift responses from Chinese viewers.

More recently, China produced a cooking competition show that appeared to copy the Korean show "Culinary Class Wars" (2024-), sparking controversy.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY HYEON YE-SEUL [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]