SEOUL, Sept. 22 -- South Korean superstar Jun Ji-hyun's long-awaited return to television is making waves - but not the kind Disney+ was hoping for.

The 43-year-old actress, best known for My Love From the Star and Kingdom, is facing a fierce backlash in China over her new political thriller Tempest, which premiered globally this month.

The controversy erupted after episode four featured Jun's character, a former United Nations diplomat running for South Korea's presidency, questioning China's stance on war.

"Why would China prefer war? That way, nuclear bombs would fall along the border areas," she says in a tense scene.

The single line has been branded "fabricated" and "politically defamatory" by outraged Chinese viewers, who floode...