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SCMP Reporter

Girl group Blackpink caused outrage among Chinese netizens this month when the members were seen playing with pandas in a trailer for their new web series, making them the latest in a series of K-pop stars landing in hot water in China.
Celebrities often encounter sociopolitical snags when promoting content internationally, but K-pop stars have faced increasing scrutiny in China since Seoul and Washington agreed to install the THAAD missile defence system in South Korea in 2016.
Chinese netizens have expressed their displeasure about everything from Tweets to comments on TV shows.
Here’s a rundown of some recent instances of K-pop stars causing controversy in China.


Blackpink’s panda problem
This week, girl group Blackpink pulled an episode of their 24/365 with Blackpink web series on YouTube after a trailer showed them playing with pandas in Seoul.
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All pandas, including those born outside China and those loaned to foreign zoos, technically remain the property of China, so the footage showing Blackpink members handling them with their bare hands, seemingly without observing safety precautions, caused an intense backlash.
Although the group’s management company YG Entertainment claimed that safety precautions had been observed, it issued a statement saying the episode would not be released due to concerns over non-professionals having close contact with baby pandas.


RM’s Korean war speech
Just weeks before the Blackpink panda incident, BTS leader RM was accused by Chinese media of not acknowledging the cost of the Korean war for China while giving a speech for an event hosted by the New York City-based Korea Society.
While RM spoke of the long alliance of the US and South Korea, and did not even mention China or its support of North Korea during the war, the rapper’s speech turned into an international incident.
Ultimately, the Chinese media article that sparked the backlash was deleted, and the drama appears to have mostly died down.

Siwon and the Hong Kong protests
K-pop stars who even appeared to take a side in Hong Kong’s protests have faced a backlash. Choi Si-won (aka Siwon) of Super Junior came under fire late last year in China for “liking” a tweet made in support of the pro-democracy protesters. He ultimately “unliked” the tweet and issued an apology to his 16 million followers on Weibo.
Comparatively, there has been a backlash in South Korea against China-based stars such as Lay Zhang Yixing and Jackson Wang, who expressed support for Hong Kong being a part of Greater China. Zhang even cancelled a contract with South Korean tech company Samsung after the brand was accused of not recognising the one-China policy.


Tzuyu’s flag-gate
Even before the controversy over THAAD, K-pop girl group Twice came to the attention of many in China in 2015 after then-16-year-old member Tzuyu (Chou Tzu-yu), who hails from Taiwan, was seen waving a Taiwanese flag during a TV show. Criticised for not using the Chinese flag, she ultimately issued an apology.
The flag fiasco occurred ahead of the election of now-president Tsai Ing-wen, and it is believed that she was elected in part because of the backlash against Tzuyu in China.


Park Bo-gum’s K-Swiss ad
A 2016 ad for the brand K-Swiss also landed singer-actor Park Bo-gum in a momentary scuffle with Chinese netizens. Many felt the ad mocked China by showing Park competing against a competitor dubbed “Great Wall of China”, who not only apparently loses to Park in a dance-off and a game of Go, but is also smacked across the face at one point.

Lee Hyori’s Mao suggestion
Another incident this year saw singer-television personality Lee Hyori accused of “belittling” late Chinese leader Mao Zedong by suggesting “Mao” as a temporary stage name. Many Chinese viewers, felt it was an inappropriate suggestion, while many Koreans countered that Mao was a popular Chinese last name.
The clip was ultimately edited out of the show, Hangout with Yoo, and the show issued an apology on social media. Lee ultimately chose the nickname “Chun Ok” while performing with the Refund Sisters, a short-term group formed through the television show.


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From RM’s Korean war speech to Blackpink and the pandas: six times K-pop stars and groups have outraged China

Blackpink caused outrage in China for handling baby pandas in web series trailer.

===PHOTO CAPTURED ONLINE=== Lee Hyori. Photo: @my_singer_hyolee/ Instagram

Choi Siwon of Super Junior. Credit: SM Entertainment

BTS leader RM angered Chinese netizens with his speech about the Korean war. Photo: Big Hit Entertainment

Why do K-pop groups like The Boyz, Loona and NCT have so many members?

K-pop bpoy band The Boyz. Credit: Cre.ker Entertainment

K-pop boy band NCT Dream. Credit: SM Entertainment

Japanese girl group AKB48. Credit: Avex Group

K-pop girl group Loona has 12 members, the same as Iz*One and one behind Seventeen, but far less than NCT’s 23. Photo: Blockberry Creative

Monsta X tell the story behind the making of new album Fatal Love and hope it’ll give K-pop fans a lift in difficult times

K-pop boy band Monsta X released their new album Fatal Love this week. They told the Post how it was put together despite the difficulties of coronavirus. Photo: Starship Entertainment

K-pop boy band Monsta X. Credit: Starship Entertainment

How BTS members from RM to Jin spread the love through donations to BLM, schools and disaster funds

BTS member RM. Photo: Big Hit Entertainment

Jin from BTS. Credit: Big Hit Entertainment

Suga from BTS. Credit: Big Hit Entertainment

BTS Jimin teaser photo for 'Dynamite.' Photo: @bts.bighitofficial/ Instagram

BTS members have been donating to good causes for years. Photo: Big Hit Entertainment

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Chinese netizens are quick to voice their displeasure at K-pop stars who they feel have crossed the line
In the most recent incident, girl group Blackpink caused ire by handling baby pandas in a trailer for their web series



Blackpink’s panda controversy is the latest in a long line of incidents causing outrage in China, and Chinese netizens have expressed anger at many of K-pop’s biggest stars. Here are six examples of K-pop crossing the line.


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