S. Korean actor signs ad contracts in China amid THAAD row

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) — South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has signed two modeling contracts in China despite the recent political tension caused by Seoul’s decision to deploy an advanced anti-missile defense system on its soil, his management agency said Monday.

Kim, the star of the 2014 TV series “My Love From the Star,” agreed to feature in two new ads in China even as the country allegedly moved to boycott South Korean celebrities in protest of the decision to place a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery here.

Beijing regards THAAD as a threat to its security interests, while Seoul and Washington insist it is a purely defensive measure aimed at deterring North Korea’s nuclear and missile developments.

“We’ve had a constant stream of proposals for different productions and ads, and that hasn’t changed much since the THAAD retaliation rumors began,” said a Keyeast official.

Kim Soo-hyun.

Actor Lee Hyun-woo of the same agency wrapped up filming his Chinese drama on Sunday.

“It went smoothly till the end,” the official said. “We’re watching the situation closely.”

Other South Korean celebrities, including actor Lee Joon-gi, have been mentioned as possible victims of the diplomatic row, with reports emerging that he was denied a visa to China ahead of a promotional tour for his latest film “Never Said Goodbye.”

Lee, however, arrived in China on Saturday as scheduled.