The embattled actor Kim Soo-hyun’s Chinese advertisement for bottled water was released Tuesday amid criticism in Korea that he ignored the public’s negative sentiment for the commercial.



The 15-second video clip showed Kim drinking Hengda Bingquan after working out and making rice with the water while Chinese narration says, “If you like me, drink Hengda Bingquan. When you drink water daily, brew tea with it and make rice with it, the water will make you beautiful and healthy.”



At the end of the commercial, Kim says, “I love only you, Hengda Bingquan” in Chinese while smiling at the camera and holding up the bottle.



“Drink with me. Selling at all supermarkets,” the narration adds at the end.



The video clip was uploaded to YouTube and other various Chinese websites, allowing all of Kim’s fans to watch the commercial.



Hengda Bingquan has attracted negative attention from Koreans, as it labels the water source for its bottled water “Jang bai shan” rather than the Korean name “Mount Baekdusan.” The use of the Chinese name of the mountain is a flashpoint between Korea and China’s shared history.



Kim attempted to back out of the advertisement contract with Jun Ji-hyun, who co-stars in the commercial, amid growing concerns from fans over the contentious labelling. But, Kim eventually decided to continue with the ad, which disappointed many of his fans.



To see the advertisement:





By Ha Ji-won, Intern reporter (jiwonha@heraldcorp.com)