(Beijing = Yonhap News) Correspondent Jong-gu Han = McDonald's store in Sanlitun, a representative downtown area in Beijing, China, on the afternoon of the 12th.
A large photo of singer G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-yong) holding a hamburger was hung on the exterior wall of the store.
There were daisy flowers and heart-shaped decorations symbolizing G-Dragon all over the doors and windows, making it clear from afar that this was a store in collaboration with G-Dragon.
At the photo zone next to the store entrance, customers continued to take commemorative photos with G-Dragon's photo in the background.
Office worker Zhou Mo (31) also enjoyed posing in front of G-Dragon's photo.
He said, “I’ve really liked G-Dragon for 10 years,” and “so I came to see him, ate a hamburger, and received a hat.”
As we entered the store, the 40 seats were filled with customers.
Visitors were busy eating burgers collaborated with G-Dragon and looking at limited edition products.
A store employee said, “The number of customers has increased significantly since the collaboration event with G-Dragon began. Most of them are G-Dragon fans, and they come to buy burgers and limited edition products and take pictures.”
He continued, “There are few customers today,” and “when there are many customers, there is a long line outside the store.”
G-Dragon's face is not only visible at Sanlitun stores.
Advertisements featuring G-Dragon also appeared on large electronic billboards around Guomao, a representative commercial district in Beijing's Chaoyang District, and in the 798 Arts District, a popular destination for young people.
Beyond Beijing, outdoor advertisements featuring G-Dragon are also being carried out in the busy streets of major Chinese cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
McDonald's China has been introducing new products in collaboration with G-Dragon at over 8,000 stores in China since the 8th.
This change attracts attention in that it has been difficult to see the faces of Korean celebrities on outdoor billboards in major Chinese cities since the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) conflict in 2016.
In particular, given that the faces of Korean celebrities appeared on such a large scale, this event is evaluated as having more meaning than just a commercial advertisement.
An official at the Korean Embassy in China said, "As far as I know, this is the first time that an advertisement featuring a Korean celebrity has been run on such a national scale since the outdoor advertisement of actress Jeon Ji-hyun, who gained popularity through the drama 'My Love from the Star.'"
This official said, "There have been cases where Korean celebrities' advertisements have been partially carried out, but it is meaningful that they are done nationwide like this time," and added, "We think of it as a positive sign."
Korean pop culture content was once very popular in the Chinese market, but following the decision to deploy THAAD, Korean celebrities' broadcast appearances, large-scale performances, and distribution of dramas and movies have been restricted for a long time.
There is an interpretation that there may be a change in the Chinese authorities' attitude toward the Korean Wave, as large-scale advertisements featuring the faces of Korean celebrities are being carried out across China, even if they are commercial advertisements for global companies.
Although the Chinese government has not officially acknowledged the existence of the so-called 'Korean Wave Restriction Order', the entry of Korean pop culture content into the Chinese market has decreased significantly compared to before.
For this reason, attention is focused on whether this advertisement will lead to the expansion of activities in other fields of popular culture, such as Korean singers' performances and broadcast appearances in China, and Korean dramas and movies.
However, the general analysis is that it is difficult to judge that China's restrictions on the Korean Wave have been relaxed or lifted based on this advertisement alone.
This is because the commercial advertising of global companies and the entry of Korean pop culture content into the Chinese broadcasting and performance market are separate issues.
However, the fact that large-scale commercial activities featuring Korean celebrities are taking place in major Chinese cities is considered a notable change.
An official familiar with the Chinese cultural scene said, "I think it would have been difficult to carry out a nationwide advertisement like this without communication with the Chinese authorities. Although it will be difficult for Korean pop culture's activities in China to recover to the previous level in a short period of time, this advertisement can be seen as a sign of change."
