K-pop star Jennie of BLACKPINK has found herself at the center of a controversy after a video showing her vaping indoors went viral online.
The footage, reportedly originally part of a vlog uploaded to Jennie’s YouTube channel on July 2, captured her allegedly vaping and exhaling smoke while a team of hair and makeup artists worked closely around her.
The clip has since been removed from the video. Despite its removal, copies of the footage continued to circulate online, leading to extensive media coverage.
Smoking cigarettes or vaping indoors is illegal in South Korea, adding to the public’s concern and anger over the incident.
Some online users have even called for an investigation into the incident by the South Korean authorities.
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed they had received a petition related to Jennie’s indoor vaping incident and are considering appropriate actions.
In response to the backlash, Jennie’s agency, OA Entertainment, released an official statement addressing the controversy.
“We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable with Jennie’s actions in the content released on July 2,” the agency wrote.
“Jennie acknowledges and deeply regrets her mistake of vaping indoors and causing inconvenience to the staff. Jennie has personally apologized to all the staff on-site who may have been affected,” the statement read.
The BLACKPINK member has also apologized to her fans, stating, “We apologize to her fans who have been disappointed through this incident. We hope to prevent this from reoccurring in the future.”
