Genesis BBQ Group, which operates the chicken franchise BBQ, said on the 26th that it has chosen actor Lee Min-ho as its model across China.
Lee Min-ho is an actor who has received broad public affection through many hit works such as the drama Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, and The Legend of the Blue Sea. Last year, he received a presidential citation at the 16th Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards.
In particular, the popularity of actor Lee Min-ho stands out in global markets including China, which was cited as the background for his selection as a global model. The drama The Heirs, in which Lee appeared, recorded about 160 million views on Youku, China's largest video platform. Through signature works such as Boys Over Flowers and The King, he was also named the most popular Korean actor in local surveys in China.
Genesis BBQ Group determined that Lee Min-ho's trustworthy and sophisticated image aligns with the direction of BBQ's pursuit of a "premium K-food flagship brand" in the Chinese market. The group noted that it expects him to help position BBQ as a trustworthy global franchise brand among Chinese consumers.
Earlier, in 2020, Lee Min-ho served as a brand advertising model when BBQ launched its Hot Golden Olive series, and he also teamed up with BBQ through PPL (product placement) in the drama The King.
BBQ plans to use this model appointment to deliver its brand message and roll out a variety of content activities with Lee Min-ho, focusing on major Chinese online channels such as Red Note (Xiaohongshu), Weibo, TikTok (Douyin), and Dazhong Dianping.
A BBQ official said, "BBQ will strengthen brand communications centered on online channels in China with model Lee Min-ho and expand the premium K-food experience."