When THe Phone Rings Fame Chae Soo Bin Romances With Bollywoo Actor Siddhant Chaturvedi
Fans are somewhat intrigued by Bollywood star Siddhant Chaturvedi's recent media debut in Korea, but they are largely perplexed.
Fans are somewhat intrigued by Bollywood star Siddhant Chaturvedi’s recent media debut in Korea, but they are largely perplexed. In a new commercial for Crocs Japan, the actor plays alongside K-drama favorite Chae Soo-bin in a scene that combines elements of fever dream and rainy-day romance. The commercial begins with Soo-bin strolling down a street that has been saturated by rain as Siddhant’s car speeds by, splattering her with dirty water. Isn’t it a classic meet-cute? It turns out that guy had a flat tire and was hauled over just ahead. After approaching him and offering him an umbrella, they go for a flirtatious little stroll, during which she splashes his shoes in return.
The atmosphere is a cross between Korean whimsy and Bollywood monsoon romance, yet neither is completely accurate. And the awkward charm of it all is what fans adore. For a Crocs Japan commercial, Korean actress Chae Soobin and Indian actor Siddhant Chaturvedi filmed in India. One user on X commented, “What kind of crossover is this?” “I’m not sure if I like or dislike Siddhant Chaturvedi in this Korean-style romantic comedy, but I believe he should be the first Indian actor to star in a K show (that isn’t an Ekta Kapoor show),” said another.
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The collaboration isn’t popular with everyone, though. Siddhant appeared different in the advertisement, as some fans quickly pointed out. One said, “He was whitewashed by the Korean team for this advertisement to blend.” “How much whitening has to be done to be in this ad lol,” said another. One user encapsulated it perfectly when they said, “This looks so AI-generated help.”
Beyond its peculiar execution, however, the advertisement appears to be a part of a larger trend: the globalization of stardom through the enormous influence of K-pop. From Jackson Wang working with Diljit Dosanjh to Tom Cruise hanging out with BTS’s Jin, the East-meets-West recipe is still going strong. Siddhant’s introduction to the world may seem arbitrary, but it illustrates how global pop culture is becoming.
Is this the beginning of the K-entertainment era for Siddhant? Or only an odd anecdote in the history of Crocs’ advertising campaign? In any case, even though they don’t know why, fans are watching.
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