Blackpink star Jennie has apologized after a video of her vaping indoors sparked outrage in South Korea.
The K-pop star exhaled a puff of smoke – and sparked a barrage of criticism after it blew into her makeup artist’s face.
“Do you need to be taught all the basic manners?” one popular YouTube comment read.
Her agency OA Entertainment apologized to “anyone who felt uncomfortable with Jennie’s actions” and to her “disappointed” fans. The star also apologized to staff “who may have been affected,” the agency said.
“Jennie admits and deeply regrets vaping in the home and causing inconvenience to staff,” the statement added.
South Korean celebrities are no strangers to scrutiny. The country imposes strict standards of ethics and conduct on them and no mistake goes unnoticed.
The now-deleted moment was part of a video posted on Jennie’s official YouTube channel that quickly went viral, with over 10 million subscribers and counting.
“It’s not about smoking. Blowing smoke in the face of house staff — that’s just rude,” said one top YouTube comment on a media outlet’s channel.
Another said: “Even smokers know that you shouldn’t puff in front of your friends. You only do that when you really don’t care about the people around you.”
Smoking and vaping indoors is banned in South Korea and can result in a fine of up to 100,000 won ($72; £56).
In this case, however, Jennie — whose full name is Jennie Kim — may not have been vaping in South Korea. Some accounts have suggested that the video was filmed in Italy, where vaping in enclosed public spaces is illegal. But Jennie’s agency has yet to clarify where she was at the time.
However, an angry South Korean has demanded that the country’s embassy in Italy and Seoul’s foreign ministry launch an investigation.
Jennie isn’t the first Korean celebrity to face backlash for smoking.
Doh Kyung-soo, lead singer of popular K-pop boy band EXO, and Haechan, lead singer of boy band NCT, faced a lot of criticism when they were caught smoking indoors. They were fined and apologized to the public.
Jennie’s international fans were more lenient: “Please don’t listen [to] anyone. You are the queen and we will support you forever,” a top comment under her most recent Instagram post read.
“I still love you. We learn from the mistakes we make,” another fan wrote.
Blackpink, formed in 2016, is the world’s biggest K-pop girl group. Its four members – Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie and Rosé – have all become celebrities in their own right.
