The stunning visual of Korean actress Song Hye Kyo will grace the Times Square in New York City for her 38th birthday. Song's Korean and international fans reportedly paid the ad at the iconic commercial intersection in the Midtown Manhattan of NYC.
A large ad for Song Hye Kyo has started running in Times Square on Nov. 17. It is her fans' special gift for her birthday on Nov. 22.
The Descendants of the Sun actress is not the first Korean celebrity to have an ad at one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the world. However, according to AllKpop, Hye Kyo is the first Hallyu actress to have a birthday ad at a giant billboard of Times Square. Most of the time, K-pop groups and idols receive fan-sponsored billboards in Times Square.
Currently, there are over 230 billboards in Times Square. Each ad space in the area varied in costs. A 15-second per hour spot for instance on both the NASDAQ and Thomson Reuters boards, reportedly, costs around $30,000 for one week. Song Hye Kyo's ad appears at NASDAQ board.
While Hye Kyo is receiving love and support from her fans, this could be her first birthday that will not be attended by Korean actor and ex-husband Song Joong Ki. Since 2016 when they worked together for Descendants of the Sun, both stars have been attending each other's birthday celebrations.
Joong Ki and Hye Kyo captured the hearts of many K-drama fans when they team up in the hit TV series DOTS in 2016. There were already speculations about the real-life romance between the two when the series aired.
However, it is only after a year of DOTS' conclusion when they announced through their respective agencies that they were engaged. The couple married in a star-studded private ceremony on Oct. 31, 2017, at Hotel Shilla in Seoul.
The Song-Song couple, however, shocked their fans all over the world when they announced in June that they are ending their one year and eight months of marriage. The two cited "differences in personality" as the reason for the split.
Since their split, Hye Kyo has yet to accept acting projects. Except for some fashion engagements, the actress said she plans to take some time off from work.
Hye Kyo, recently, made her first public appearance since her divorce from Joong Ki was finalized in July. The Encounter actress attended the reopening of the luxury jewelry brand Chaumet's Lotte Avenue boutique in Seoul last month.
As for her former husband, Joong Ki recently starred in historical fantasy drama Arthdal Chronicles. It has been confirmed that The Battleship Island actor is also set to star in the science fiction film The Victory alongside Mr. Sunshine actress Kim Tae Ri.
