Siddhant Chaturvedi's Korean Debut With Chae Soo-Bin Sparks Mixed Reaction, Fans Slam 'Whitewashing'

Indian K-drama fans just witnessed the most unexpected Bollywood crossover. The industry’s rising star, Siddhanth Chaturvedi, has made his Korean debut in the most surprising collaboration. The Bollywood heartthrob was seen alongside popular South Korean actress Chae Soo-bin in a new advertisement for Crocs Japan. The ad, which recently dropped on Crocs Japan’s Instagram, blends elements of Korean whimsy with the classic monsoon charm of Bollywood, creating an unexpected cross-cultural moment that has left the internet buzzing.

Siddhant Chaturvedi joins hands with Chae Soo-bin for new Crocs ad

The short ad posted on Crocs Japan’s official Instagram handle has sent Bollywood and K-drama fans into a collective meltdown, and they can’t wait for more such collabs in the future, but not all fans would agree. The short ad, set on a rain-drenched street in India, follows a classic rom-com plot. The video begins with I’m Not A Robot fame, Chae Soo-bin, walking calmly with a white umbrella, when Siddhant’s car speeds past and splashes muddy water onto her Crocs. Before driving away, he briefly catches a glimpse of her.

In the next scene, a flat tyre forces Siddhant to pull over, and Soo-bin, amused at it, gently walks towards the Gully Boy star and offers him her umbrella. What follows is a light-hearted, flirty walk under the rain that ends with her cheekily splashing water on his shoes in return.

Fans from India, Korea, and Japan flooded social media platforms with reactions. Many were amused and delighted by the unexpected cultural crossover. One user tweeted, "Korean actress Chae Soo-bin with Indian actor Siddhant Chaturvedi filmed in India for a Crocs Japan ad… what kind of multiverse crossover is this?" Another commented, “What is happening... Company is crocs japan, actress is korean and actor is indian ...what in the world is happening right now??” A third user wrote, “Now I want a drama casting them.”

Some netizens slammed the makers over ‘whitewashing’ and unrealistic visuals

While most netizens gushed at the unexpected pairing and shipped the duo, not all feedback was positive. A section of fans noticed Siddhant’s noticeably lighter skin tone in the advertisement. Some called out the apparent 'whitewashing' to fit the Korean media's aesthetic preferences. One user wrote, “How much whitening has to be done to be in this ad lol,” while another added, “Korean team had whitewashed him for this ad to blend.” One netizen commented, “Nah but why he white washed?”

Some viewers commented that the ad looked too perfect and more AI-generated than normal, given the highly edited visuals in the backdrop, which seem to have taken away the ad’s natural charm. 

Watch the video here!

Siddhant Chaturvedi’s professional front

On the work front, Siddhant will next be seen in Dhadak 2 alongside Triptii Dimri. He is also gearing up for another project, Dil Ka Darwaaza Khol Na Darling, with Wamiqa Gabbi and Jaya Bachchan. Meanwhile, Chae Soo-bin has the upcoming film, Omniscient Reader: The Prophet in the pipeline, starring alongside Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Min-ho, and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo.

What are your thoughts on this unexpected Bollywood and South Korean collab? Let us know.

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