Top Chinese-born K-pop stars including f(x) Victoria, GOT7 Jackson, and EXO Lay announced that they will sever their ties with global brands who criticized China.
On March 25, prominent K-pop idols who are currently active in China expressed their support to their hometown by boycotting global brands, such as Adidas, Calvin Klein, Converse, and H&M.
This is due to conflict between western brands and China, which is getting intense over time.
f(x) Victoria, GOT7 Jackson, EXO Lay Cut ties with Global Brands to Support China
Since then, f(x) Victoria, an H&M model, has also taken steps such as breaking the contract after the controversy arose. Through Weibo, Victoria Studio announced that they will counteract the stigmatization against China.
Along with her, EXO Lay also terminated a partnership with Calvin Klein and Converse, over the issue of boycotting Xinjiang cotton.
GOT7 Jackson, who is a representative in the fashion industry canceled his contract with Adidas as well, for not reaching an agreement towards Xinjiang cotton controversy.The idols' stance says, "China's interest is the top priority. We are sternly against the slander and defamation towards China."
Despite the praises these idols are gaining from Chinese fans and netizens, Korean netizens and supporters have divided opinion over their statements.
Several conveyed their disappointment and criticized them over their acts, while other K-pop enthusiasts defended them and said that it is understandable to support China because they are currently active in the country, aside from the fact that it is their hometown.
Related Article: Korean Netizens Start Petition To Ban Certain Chinese Idols From Actively Promoting in Korea
K-pop stars f(x) Victoria, EXO Lay, & GOT7 Jackson: What Happened Between Global Brand H&M and China?
A boycott of global sports brand Nike and fashion brand H&M is spreading in China.
They are blaming the companies for their concern about forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in western China and announcing that they would not use cotton produced in Xinjiang in the meantime.
"We are deeply concerned about reports on forced labor in Xinjiang and discrimination against ethnic minorities," H&M said in a statement in September last year. "We have stopped purchasing cotton produced in this area."
Chinese consumers' anger turned to H&M when the European Union, the United States, Britain, and Canada announced sanctions against Chinese figures on March 22, citing Xinjiang's suppression of Uyghur human rights.
As a result, when H&M declared a boycott of cotton in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region against China's human rights suppression on March 24, there was a stronger backlash in China to boycott western brands as a rebuttal.
Victoria of f(x), Lay of EXO, and GOT7 Jackson are some of the Chinese-born K-pop idols who canceled their partnership with brands that criticized China as a sign of support.
Also Read: GOT7 Jackson's Label TEAM WANG Establishes Joint Business Agreement with Sublime Artist Agency
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Written by Eunice Dawson
