Celeb cancel culture 2025: Scandals that spooked brands

Keeping up with celebrity cancel culture is an extreme sport the world over. With endorsement deals for top K-pop and C-pop idols commanding eight-figure sums annually, a single misstep can instantly vaporize campaigns and trigger devastating boycotts across Asia’s most lucrative consumer markets. This might be the year that Chinese singer-actor Cai Xukun, or “Kun,” attains public redemption following his April 2025 triumph in a sex scandal court case, two years after being accused (he is now ambassador at both Charlotte Tilbury and Mugler Fragrances), but for every comeback, 2025 has delivered costly celebrity disasters. Taiwanese actor Darren Wang arrested for attempted murder Known for playing Hsu Tai-yu in Our Times, Taiwanese actor Darren Wang was arrested in February and later released on bail, before the same happened again for a different offence the following month. The first arrest was due to the 33-year-old reportedly forging medical documents to evade military service duties, which led to widespread criticism online. The later arrest saw Wang detained in relation to an attack on an Uber driver in April 2024 that hospitalized the victim — he was released on $5 million New Taiwanese dollars ($124,000) bail. South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun accused of underage relationship with late Kim Se-ron South Korea’s highest-paid actor Kim Soo-hyun faces career devastation after the family of late actress Kim Sae-ron accused him of dating her when she was 15 and he was 27. The allegations, first surfaced in March 2025, have triggered immediate brand flight: Prada has quietly distanced itself, his Disney+ series faces indefinite delays, and industry insiders estimate his endorsement value has plummeted by 60%. The scandal intensified when Kim Sae-ron’s family revealed a 700 million Korean won ($482,000) debt dispute between the actress and Kim’s agency Gold Medalist, claiming financial pressure contributed to her tragic death. Soo-hyun has filed 12 billion Korean won ($8.7 million) in defamation lawsuits while maintaining his innocence, but the damage appears irreversible. Despite holding Korea’s top male star ranking on fan platforms, luxury brands are treating him as radioactive — a stark reminder of how quickly Asia’s most bankable celebrities can become unmarketable. Lisa’s Met Gala outfit sparks (unfounded) blacklash Blackpink’s Lisa triggered a global backlash at last month's Met Gala when fans mistakenly identified civil rights icon Rosa Parks’ face on her Louis Vuitton bodysuit’s crotch area. The misidentification — the design actually featured artist Henry Taylor’s personal acquaintances — still delivered a PR nightmare for both star and brand. Louis Vuitton faced immediate criticism for cultural insensitivity, while Lisa’s team scrambled to clarify the artistic intent. The incident highlights luxury fashion’s ongoing struggle with culturally sensitive designs when dressing global superstars, where even perceived missteps can spark international outrage and potential boycotts across key Asian markets. One Instagram post triggers crisis for aespa’s Karina A single Instagram photo nearly derailed aespa leader Karina’s lucrative endorsement portfolio when she wore a red jacket with the number “2” days before South Korea’s presidential election on June 3. The innocuous fashion choice was immediately interpreted as support for the conservative candidate, triggering massive backlash and forcing SM Entertainment into crisis mode. Brand partners including Converse Korea, Prada, and Vita 500 reportedly held emergency meetings to assess potential fallout from the political controversy. Despite Karina’s swift apology and post deletion, the incident exposed the extreme political sensitivity surrounding K-pop stars during election periods — where even unintentional symbolism can threaten multi-million dollar partnerships. The controversy ultimately helped elect Lee Jae-myung as president, with international netizens mockingly crediting “Magarina” for mobilizing opposition voters. For luxury brands, the episode serves as a stark reminder that political neutrality clauses in celebrity contracts may not be enough protection in Asia’s hyper-politicized social media landscape. From match-fixing pariah to marketing goldmine: Zhao Xintong’s snooker comeback Less of a controversy, and more of an escape from one: Zhao Xintong last month became the first Chinese player to win the World Snooker Championship, defeating veteran Mark Williams 18-12 at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. His triumph marks a comeback after a 20-month ban linked to a match-fixing probe, during which Zhao was forced to restart as an amateur. Now poised to become a household name in China, Zhao’s victory could catalyze a new wave of interest in snooker among younger Chinese audiences who have forgiven his match-fixing scandal.

Celeb cancel culture 2025: Scandals that spooked brands

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Published June 10, 2025

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Celeb cancel culture 2025: Scandals that spooked brands