IVE’s Jang Wonyoung has addressed criticism over a viral video that appeared to show her declining a cheek-to-cheek greeting from a male executive at a Bulgari event, clarifying that she simply missed the gesture amid a hectic photocall.
Jang attended the luxury jewelry brand’s event in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong neighborhood on October 28th as a brand ambassador.
Following the event, footage circulated online showing Jang exchanging a cheek-to-cheek greeting with Bulgari’s female CEO before appearing to turn away when a male executive approached her for a similar greeting. The brief interaction prompted some social media users to criticize her manners.
On November 4th, Jang addressed the incident through the paid fan communication platform Bubble, explaining that the moment was an unintentional oversight.
“At the Bulgari event, I missed someone’s cheek greeting because things were so hectic during the photocall,” she wrote. “I guess people could misunderstand that. We’d all greeted each other so enthusiastically before things started. We’re practically like family.”
She continued, “Of course I just didn’t see him. Surely no one actually thinks I did it on purpose? I’d honestly be surprised if anyone thought that.”
Fans came to Jang’s defense, criticizing the scrutiny surrounding the brief interaction. “It’s really hard being a female celebrity. Honestly, having a man you barely know approach you like that could be uncomfortable, yet she still has to explain herself over something so trivial,” one fan commented.
Others echoed the frustration, writing, “The fact that she even has to explain this is ridiculous,” and “Just leave her the hell alone.”
Some also suggested that Jang may have spoken up to prevent the executive from facing further criticism. “I feel like she’s explaining this because the executive was getting attacked. If she were the only one being criticized, she probably wouldn’t have said anything,” another fan wrote.
The incident follows several other online controversies involving Jang this year, including accusations of arriving late to an event that were later attributed to a communication error by organizers, as well as criticism of her “attitude” at an airport.
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