KUALA LUMPUR: Lay of popular K-Pop group Exo has terminated his contract with one of the world’s leading smart phone brands, Samsung.
According to Soompi, this is in line with recent developments in China where foreign companies have come under strict scrutiny with regards to how they describe the Republic and its territories.
Recent tensions between China and Hong Kong due to mass unrest over concerns about China’s perceived attempts to increase its influence in Hong Kong have exacerbated the situation.
Lay, 27, is the sole Chinese national in the South Korean music outfit with a global fandom.
The singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor’s studio had released a statement via Weibo yesterday that it had looked into all of the brands that the idol models for.
It announced that since Samsung Electronics’ global website does not adhere to the “One China policy,” he has terminated his modeling contract with the company.
The statement further read that, “the act of being ambiguous about the integrity of our sovereignty and territory has severely hurt the national feelings of Chinese compatriots.”
It ended with: “We express our regret and state that we cannot tolerate this.”
Lay has also been criticised for maintaining his contract with fashion brand Calvin Klein. The company, which he is a model for, has come under fire in China for portraying Hong Kong as an independent country.