In the midst of the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, the global K-pop fandom is awakening to political issues, and many fans are standing in solidarity with Palestinians.

The situation has heated up as calls for boycotting brands rumored to support Israel, including Starbucks and McDonald's, dominate fan discussions.

In a Korean online community, netizens discussed the growing criticism of K-pop idols seemingly endorsing brands linked to Israel, like Starbucks and McDonald's.

The post mentioned, "International fans are boycotting global brands allegedly associated with Israel. There's a strong demand for K-pop idols promoting these brands to join the boycott. They've even listed K-pop artists seen drinking Starbucks. Why are idols facing criticism for just enjoying things they bought with their own money?".

These events highlight the significant global impact of K-pop and how its idols are affected by international issues.

It also emphasizes the pressure on K-pop stars to navigate global politics due to the diverse and passionate nature of their fanbase.

Netizens' reactions include:

"Starbucks operates under a separate license in Korea, with Shinsegae holding all the shares. Elon Musk supported Israel, yet Twitter is excluded from the boycott list as it's considered a communication channel."

"Boycotting idols over this is like terrorism against individuals. They might not realize the impact of their actions."

"They call us oversensitive about the Rising Sun Flag, but now they want us to heed everything they say? Start by boycotting Twitter. LOL."

"It's unfortunate; the time spent harassing Korean artists could be used to spread the boycott in their own countries."

"K-netizens calling others sensitive? That's hilarious! What happened to owning mirrors and self-reflection?"

Source[1]

Lee Jun Young recently opened up about the emotional toll of playing a villain—and how one powerful scene made him break down in tears behind the scenes.

On the May 1st episode of KBS 2TV’s variety show Problem Child in House, Lee Jun Young appeared alongside co-star Jung Eun Ji to promote their new KBS drama Pump Up the Healthy Love.

During the show, Lee Jun Young was asked about the most unforgettable villain he’s played. He chose his role as Han Su Gang in the film Brave Citizen.

He explained, “It was really tough to film. I had to act like I was leading school violence, and there was even a scene where I bullied a grandmother.”

The hosts were surprised, pointing out how kind and gentle he seems in real life. Lee Jun Young shared how he transforms for such roles.

“I try to act as bad as I can, but sometimes the director says, ‘You still look too nice.’ Then I focus even harder and adjust right away.”

He also revealed that filming one particular scene hit him hard emotionally. “My real grandmother was sick at the time,” he said.

“In one scene, there’s a grandma selling gimbap, and I ad-libbed by stubbing a cigarette out on the gimbap. I was really into character, but after filming, I just broke down. So many thoughts came to me and I started crying.”

Fans praised his dedication to acting but also felt moved by how deeply the role affected him. Lee Jun Young’s honesty gave a raw look at how even fictional roles can hit close to home.

Source: [1]