The faces of Park Bo-gum and IU (Lee Ji-eun), stars of the hit Netflix drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” have been spotted on advertisements in a Chinese supermarket without authorization, once again igniting controversy over image rights violations in China.
Unauthorized Use of Park Bo-gum and IU’s Likeness in China Sparks Outrage
Despite “When Life Gives You Tangerines” not being officially available in China due to Netflix’s lack of service in the country, scenes from the drama were used for in-store marketing at a large supermarket in Hebei Province. Photos from the location show promotional materials using stills of Park Bo-gum as Yang Gwan-sik and IU as Oh Ae-soon, alongside phrases like “Sweet Cabbage Here” and “Try Ae-soon’s Green Pea Rice,” blatantly leveraging the actors’ likenesses to promote food products.
Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women’s University raised the issue on April 15 after receiving tips from concerned netizens. “This is a clear case of image rights infringement. They’ve watched the drama illegally and are now casually using the actors’ faces for commercial purposes,” he stated.
Professor Demands Action Against Ongoing Violations of Korean Celebrities’ Rights
Professor Seo further criticized the repeated exploitation of K-drama actors’ images in China, referencing previous unauthorized uses involving series like “Squid Game” and “The Glory.” “These characters have been used to create knock-off merchandise and generate illicit profits,” he said.
Although Netflix is not officially available in China, K-dramas continue to spread rapidly through illegal distribution channels. The unauthorized use of these shows and their stars’ likenesses in commercial contexts has become increasingly common.
“If Chinese authorities are turning a blind eye to these actions, they are effectively acknowledging and allowing illegal content circulation within their own country,” Professor Seo added. “It’s time for government-level intervention to ensure basic rights and protections for Hallyu content.”
The situation underscores the urgent need for more robust international enforcement of image and content rights as the global popularity of Korean entertainment continues to grow.
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