Kim Seon Ho And Go Youn Jung’s Netflix K-Drama Hit With Severe Boycott Calls

Netflix’s upcoming K-Drama Can This Love Be Translated? is already facing unexpected backlash in South Korea before its release. The controversy centers on its Japanese male lead, whose past remarks have sparked heated reactions from Korean viewers.

The actor in question is Sota Fukushi, a well-known figure in Japan who is making his first appearance in a Korean drama through this project. 

Sota Fukushi’s appearance on a documentary-style program aired in Japan in 2015 to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II has resurfaced.

The show was designed to educate younger generations about war and peace by having young celebrities meet people who experienced the Pacific War. During the broadcast, Fukushi read letters written by kamikaze pilots and spoke with survivors.

What drew particular attention was his personal account involving his grandfather, who had reportedly trained to become a kamikaze pilot before Japan’s surrender. Fukushi expressed respect for his grandfather and the soldiers of that era, becoming emotional during the segment.

While Japanese viewers largely interpreted his reaction as empathy toward the tragedy of war, many Korean netizens viewed the remarks as controversial.

• “This is seriously pissing me off.”
• “This is insane.”
• “What the hell? Why cast someone like that? It’s not like we don’t have actors in this country.”
• “Get lost. How dare you crawl into a Korean drama.”
• “If he’s right-wing, why does he keep sniffing around Korean dramas?”
• “Why, though…like, why?”