Song Hye-kyo rejects Mitsubishi offer
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Song Hye-kyo
By Park Jin-hai
Song Hye-kyo, the star of megahit drama “Descendants of the Sun,” rejected a modeling offer from Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors, her agency UAA said Tuesday.
The actress is reported to have rejected the offer as the Mitsubishi Group is involved in a lawsuit over the alleged use of Korean forced labor during Japan’s occupation of Korea.
“It is true that Song received the offer about a month ago, but in the review process, we found that the company was involved in forced labor and didn’t hesitate to turn it down,” said a UAA official. “Song has great interest in social and historical issues.”
Seo Kyoung-duk, a Sungshin Women's University professor well known for promoting Korean interests abroad, left a comment on Facebook referring to a conversation he had a few days ago with the actress, who said, “Mitsubishi hasn't taken responsibility for their past actions yet, right? That means I am not going to be modeling for them."
Seo said Song is an actress who knows how to love her culture and history as well as how to protect them.
Song has been promoting the Korean language and culture abroad since 2012. She funded the publication of a new Korean handbook and Korean language services at the world's famous art galleries, museums and Korean historic sites, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Yoon Bong Gil Memorial Hall in China.