'MAN x MAN' receives heavy media spotlight in China: agency

"MAN x MAN," a new South Korean TV drama starring Park Hae-jin, has received a heavy spotlight from Chinese entertainment outlets despite the show being unavailable in the neighboring country, according to the star's agency Tuesday.

On Monday, entertainment pages of Chinese portals -- including Sina.com, Sohu.com and Eastday.com -- featured stories on the new Friday-Saturday JTBC series as one of their prominent headlines of the day, Mountain Movement, Park's agency, said.

"MAN x MAN" (pronounced "man to man") is about versatile, mysterious secret agent Kim Seol-woo, played by Park, who is tasked with protecting top celebrity Yeo Un-gwang, played by Park Sung-woong, as part of an undercover mission. It was penned by Kim Won-suk, co-screenwriter for the hit show "Descendants of the Sun."

"MAN x MAN" is also available through Netflix in some 190 countries. It is, however, not available in China amid Beijing's ban on Korean culture in retaliations for deployment of a U.S. missile defense shield in Korea.

Mountain Movement said it believed "MAN x MAN" was being widely circulated in China through piracy.

Park rose to fame in China for his role in the 2011 Chinese drama "Qian Duo Duo Get Married" that became a nationwide sensation. He later starred in three more dramas, including "Far Away Love," that earned him a top acting award in the country. (Yonhap)