"Tempest," starring Jun Ji-hyun (Disney+)
"Tempest," starring Jun Ji-hyun (Disney+)

South Korean actor Jun Ji-hyun’s new series “Tempest” has sparked controversy in China after a line from the show was criticized as offensive.

Despite it not being officially available in China, clips from the series quickly spread online through unofficial channels, fueling anger among Chinese viewers.

The dispute comes from a scene in the 4th episode where Jun’s character, a presidential candidate, asks, “Why does China favor war?”

Her character 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 the show of insulting China, according to South China Morning Post. The backlash reportedly has already begun to affect Jun’s commercial work, with calls to boycott global brands she endorses gaining traction online.

Jun has long been a popular Korean star in China, especially after the huge success of the 2014 hit “My Love from the Star.”

“Tempest” is a political thriller that follows Jun as Seo Mun-ju, a UN ambassador who runs for president after surviving an assassination attempt. She joins forces with a stateless special agent, played by Gang Dong-won, to uncover a conspiracy that threatens the Korean Peninsula.


ssh@heraldcorp.com