Top Tier Actress Faces Backlash For Filming Advertisement In “Sacred Church”

Actress Lee Min Jung recently came under fire after sharing updates from her trip to Venice. Lee Min Jung recently accompanied her husband, actor Lee Byung Hun, to the Venice Film Festival, where his film It Can’t Be Helped was competing in the official selection. While in Venice, she also toured the city with fellow cast member Son Ye Jin, who reportedly snapped some of the photos later uploaded to social media.

One particular photo has stirred controversy. In the image, Lee Min Jung poses in front of a church crucifix while holding a handbag — a shot many netizens interpreted as product placement in a sacred setting.

Reactions were divided. Many Korean and international netizens criticized the photo, commenting on her misdemeanor. It seemed like they felt the location was too holy and sacred to be used as a backdrop for not just a social media flex, but also a placed luxury goods ad.

The incident has sparked ongoing debate online, with some urging sensitivity toward religious spaces and others focusing instead on Lee Min Jung’s visuals. Lee Min Jung herself spoke up and edited her caption. She clarified that the place was not a real church.

Photo by @yejinhand in Venice
P.S.: Oh, and this place isn’t actually a church — it’s a hall and restaurant inside a hotel that preserved the walls of a centuries-old former cathedral. I’m a Christian, though not Catholic, but if taking a photo on the altar made anyone uncomfortable, I sincerely apologize!!! I’ll be more mindful and careful in the future!!!!

With that, hopefully the controversy dies down soon!