Jun Ji Hyun has come under fire from Chinese netizens for her role as Seo Mun Ju in the Korean drama Tempest. The South Korean actress was criticized for lines deemed offensive to China.
Quoting Korea JoongAng Daily, on Monday September 22, 2025, most Chinese netizens highlighted the scene in the fifth episode which featured Mun Ju questioning China's stance on the political escalation on the Korean Peninsula.
"Why does China want war more? A nuclear bomb could fall near the border," is the dialogue spoken by the character Seo Mun Ju. The dialogue drew heavy criticism and was deemed hateful.
Chinese netizens flooded Weibo after a video clip of the scene featuring Jun Ji Hyun circulated. " If China really wanted war, South Korea would no longer exist as a country ," wrote one netizen. " The relationship he built with China over the past 20 years is gone ," wrote another netizen.
Furthermore, several Chinese netizens also objected to the scenes in Tempest set in Dalian, China. They argued that the production team deliberately shot dark slums to tarnish the image of the northeastern Chinese city.
Some netizens also speculated that the production crew shot the scene in Hong Kong. In other posts, there was also criticism directed at the scene of someone walking on a carpet patterned with the Chinese five-star symbol and the dialogue of Seo Mun Ju reciting a poem written by Li Bai.
Some people accused Jun Ji Hyun of deliberately changing her pronunciation when reciting the poem by the legendary Chinese poet. However, others felt the pronunciation of the poem should be understood in its proper context.
Tempest presents the story of Seo Moon Joo (Jun Ji Hyun), a former diplomat who tries to uncover the truth behind the assassination attempt on a presidential candidate.
After the candidate is accused of being a North Korean spy, Moon Joo begins to explore his past and opens a Pandora's box of deceit, state secrets, and various shocking things.
Protected by Paik San Ho (Kang Dong Won), a mercenary with a shady past and a mysterious backer, Moon Joo is repeatedly targeted as she uncovers an international conspiracy that reaches all the way to the White House.
However, with the threat looming, San Ho's ability to keep Moon Joo safe is at stake. In addition to Jun Ji Hyun and Kang Dong Won, the drama also stars Lee Mi Sook, Park Hae Joon, Kim Hae Sook, Yoo Jae Myung, and Oh Jung Sae. Tempest has a total of 10 episodes.
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