Overview

• In episode 4, Jun Ji-hyun’s character asks, “Why does China favor/favour war?” with additional remarks about nuclear risks near the border, a line that went viral on Chinese social media.
• Mainland viewers also objected to a scene labeled as Dalian that appears to have been filmed in Hong Kong and portrayed as rundown.
• Critics flagged a carpet with a five‑star motif being stepped on, a Chinese‑speaking villain, and an allegedly distorted recitation of poet Li Bai as reinforcing negative depictions.
• Commercial fallout intensified, with reports that as of Sept 21 Louis Vuitton, Piaget and La Mer removed Jun’s advertisements from their Weibo accounts, and brands faced waves of negative comments.
• The show is not officially available in China, yet clips spread via unofficial channels; producers and the actress have not publicly responded, and Disney+ says Tempest posted the platform’s top Korean original premiere of 2025 in its first five days.