Gianna Jun plays a United Nations ambassador who runs for president after surviving an assassination attempt in 'Tempest'. Photo: Handout
South Korean actress Gianna Jun’s new series Tempest has sparked controversy in China after a line from the K-drama was criticised as offensive.
Even though the show – which is streaming on Disney+ – is not officially available in China, clips from it quickly spread online through unofficial channels, fuelling anger among Chinese viewers.
The scene in question appears in the fourth episode on Sept 17, where Jun’s character, presidential candidate Seo Mun-ju, asks: “Why does China favour war?”
Seo adds that such a stance “does not make sense when a nuclear bomb could fall on the border region between (Korea and China)”.
The line went viral on Chinese social media, with some accusing Tempest of insulting China, according to South China Morning Post.
The backlash has reportedly begun to affect Jun’s commercial work, with calls to boycott global luxury brands she endorses gaining traction online.
As at Sept 21, brands including Louis Vuitton, Piaget and La Mer have removed her advertisements from their Sina Weibo accounts.
The producers of Tempest and Jun have so far not commented on the line and scene related to China.
The actress, also known as Jun Ji-hyun, has long been a popular South Korean star in China, especially after the huge success of the fantasy romance My Love From The Star (2013 to 2014).
Tempest is a political thriller that follows Seo, a United Nations ambassador who runs for president after surviving an assassination attempt.
She joins forces with a stateless special agent (played by South Korean actor Gang Dong-won) to uncover a conspiracy that threatens the Korean Peninsula. – The Korea Herald/Asia News Network, China Daily/Asia News Network
