Chinese Netizens Accuse 'Bukgokseong' of Anti-China Sentiment Over Jun Ji-hyun's Line
Disney+ Not Available in China... Sparks 'Pirated Viewing' Controversy
Following controversy among Chinese netizens over a line spoken by actress Jun Ji-hyun in the drama "Bukgokseong" (Polaris), Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University pointed out the issue of illegal streaming within China.
On September 24, Professor Seo stated his position on his social media, saying, "Recently, Korean and Chinese netizens have been engaged in a heated debate over a line delivered by actress Jun Ji-hyun in the Disney+ drama 'Bukgokseong.'"
He added, "While Chinese netizens are free to express their opinions after watching the drama, Disney+ is not officially available in China, so it has become clear that they watched it illegally. They stole someone else's content first, yet shamelessly continue to nitpick without any sense of embarrassment," he strongly criticized.
He continued, "If they wanted to raise an issue with the line, they should have filed a complaint with the production company or Disney+, which aired the scene. As Korean content attracts global attention, some are now going to any lengths to tarnish K-content," he added.
In fact, just like Netflix, Disney+ is not officially available in China, so this controversy is also being criticized on the grounds of illegal viewing.
Chinese Netizens Protest Over 'Bukgokseong' Dialogue
The Disney+ original series "Bukgokseong" (Polaris) tells the story of former UN ambassador Moon Ju (played by Jun Ji-hyun), who teams up with a mysterious special agent Sanho (played by Kang Dong-won) to uncover the truth behind an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate and confront a massive conspiracy threatening the Korean Peninsula.
The controversial scene appears in episode 4. In the drama, Moon Ju asks, "Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall on the border area," which sparked backlash from Chinese netizens. They argued that this line "insulted China" and continued to criticize the show. As a result, some Chinese advertisements featuring Jun Ji-hyun as a model were suspended, further escalating the controversy.
Jun Ji-hyun's representatives clarified, "The cancellation of the Chinese brand advertisement was already arranged prior to the release of 'Bukgokseong' and is unrelated to the series."
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