2019-07-29 16:45

Actress Lee Si-young has joined the boycott campaign against Japan. Korea Times file

By Dong Sun-hwa

Korean celebrities are joining the boycott campaign of Japanese products following its export curb on three key components needed for Korean firms to produce semiconductors and display panels.

The Japanese move is in retaliation for a Supreme Court ruling ordering Japanese firms to pay for the forced labor of Koreans during the World War II.

1. Actress Lee Si-young

Actress Lee Si-young said Thursday that she had replaced her Japanese-made table tennis equipment with Korean products.

"I was not aware that most equipment was from Japan," she wrote on Instagram. "In fact, many Koreans have used Japanese sports equipment. But Korean products are high-quality too. I think we can replace Japanese goods one by one."

She also added hash tags reading, "Let's love domestic products," and "What is happening now will be a part of our history too."

2. Comedian Oh Jung-tae

Oh Jung-tae canceled his trip to Japan. Capture from Oh Jung-tae's Instagram

Comedian Oh Jung-tae also joined the campaign by canceling a family trip to Osaka.

"It cost about 1.2 million won ($1,000) to cancel our plan involving 14 family members and a tour guide," he wrote on Instagram on July 10. "But I do not regret it. We will head for Macau instead."

3. Comedian Yang Se-hyung

Comedian Yang Se-hyung: "This (boycott) is what all Koreans do nowadays." Courtesy of SBS LoveFM

Comedian Yang Se-hyung has also joined the campaign.

Appearing on SBS radio show "Kim Sang-hyuk, DinDin's Brother's Radio" on July 16, singer DinDin said Yang had asked him not to drink beer, just in case.

"Yang offered me a drink of Korean soju instead, because we can easily be misunderstood these days," DinDin said.

Yang was presumably worried that he would accidentally drink Japanese beer, which is readily available in Korea.

Yang said, "This (boycott) is what all Koreans do nowadays."

Singer Kim Kyu-jong mistakenly uploaded photos taken in Japan. Capture from Kim Kyu-jong's Instagram

Meanwhile, Kim Kyu-jong of K-pop boy group SS501 has been in hot water for mistakenly unveiling photos of himself and his Japanese girlfriend traveling in Japan.

Although he immediately deleted the photographs, which were posted on Wednesday, online users slammed him for posting "inappropriate" images amid the boycott.

Kim apologized twice, saying, "I am sorry for causing inconvenience to many people. I will be more mature and prudent in future."