Jun Ji-hyun: K-drama Tempest draws nationalist ire in China

China's ban on K-drama seemed to be easing - until Jun Ji-hyun's Tempest came along.

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"Why does China prefer war? A nuclear bomb could fall near the border," her character says in one episode of the new Disney+ series.

This fictional scene led to real consequences over the weekend, with many Chinese social media users taking it to be a malicious mischaracterisation of China as belligerent. Many are now calling for brands to sever ties with the Korean actress.

The uproar has also reignited debate over an unofficial Chinese ban on South Korean entertainment, which has been in place for nearly a decade.

While China has never admitted to a ban, the abrupt dearth of K-content since 2016 is widely believed to be a protest against South Korea's decision to deploy a US anti-missile system in 2016, which China sees as a threat to its military operations in the region.