Red Ginseng Tonic (Photo : KGC)
Even “Descendants of the Sun” star Song Joong-ki does not believe in news that women in China are going crazy over Korean dramas that one female college student was allegedly diagnosed with glaucoma after watching for 18 hours straight the 16-episode TV show aired over KBS 2TV in South Korea and video platform iQiyi in China.
One more proof of how influential Song is in China is that he made red ginseng popular again in the Asian giant, reported Korea Times. That’s because he was seen in one episode of “Descendants of the Sun” drinking a red ginseng tonic. The tonic is a product of the Korea Ginseng Corp (KGC).
It would not be just Song who would be seen drinking the tonic in the nine remaining episodes of the drama set in a fictional country facing civil war. Other cast members would also be seen drinking red ginseng, which would spell good news for KGC’s bottom line as it expects sales of the tonic and other products to increase in the coming weeks.
The product that Song drank was Hongsam Jeong Everytime, a tube-shaped, easy-to-carry product. A KGC spokesman said that because of the popular actor’s “endorsement” of the tonic, there is a surge in Chinese tourists who visit KGC retailers in department stores and duty-free outlets as well as website to order the tonic.
After all, Song is now the most search entertainer on Chinese websites, while the show has broken TV ratings and viewership records in the two countries. Japan will also air the drama, while the Thai prime minister has endorsed the show to his countrymen because of its message of patriotism.
Red ginseng is known for boosting the immune system, stamina and blood circulation. Its saponin component is also believed to invigorate the body. According to Healthline, certain herbal supplements such as ginseng could be used to alleviate the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.
