BLACKPINK’s Jennie is facing fresh backlash after a clip from the group’s recent Goyang concert went viral. It shows her trying to fix a minor outfit issue during her set.
In the now widely shared video with over 6 million impressions, the 29-year-old singer is seen first trying to tie her own shoelaces before turning to a nearby camera staff member for help as her next verse approached.
What could have been a quick fix turned awkward when the moment stretched on longer than expected.
Fans noticed Jennie looking visibly tense and animated while the staff members, who weren’t even stylists but part of the camera crew, crouched down to help.
Despite clearly struggling with the tricky laces, they were trying their best, but obviously under immense pressure. Many thought Jennie seemed to rush them, making the situation more uncomfortable than it needed to be.
Some praised Jennie for staying professional and singing live even as the shoelace drama played out. Others argued she could have handled the tiny problem herself instead of relying on a busy crew member mid-show. Netizens pointed out that the issue seemed minor enough that the “Mantra” singer might have been quicker tying it herself rather than putting more pressure on a busy crew member in front of a live audience.
Critics say that rather than looking so visibly frustrated, a simple pat on the shoulder or calm thank-you would have shown better composure and respect for the crew, who were clearly stressed too.
The incident has quickly brought Jennie’s past controversies back into the spotlight. Old rumors about her alleged school bullying in New Zealand have resurfaced on Korean forums, even though nothing was ever officially confirmed. On top of that, her smoking scandal last year, when she was filmed vaping indoors around staff, is being mentioned again. Some fans question whether she respects the people working behind the scenes.
Still, plenty of fans have jumped in to defend her, saying idols often rely on staff for last-minute stage fixes and Jennie was simply nervous because her live part was about to start. They point out that performing under bright lights and tight schedules isn’t easy, and the moment has been blown out of proportion like so many of her past controversies.
Here’s what some antis said and how BLINKs defended Jennie in response
Jennie is so fake, are fans really defending this?
It’s a high-stress environment. You don’t expect at least a little frustration?
The way the staff got so nervous! No wonder why she’s so FCKN rude!
Blowing smoke in people’s faces, shouting, treating staff like servants..she’s absolutely rotten to the core.
This video is literally edited to make it seem like she was angry when she was literally smiling.
She was rushing to fix this and what do you expect from her to whisper in the staff’s ear in a loud noisy area.
She was literally just nervous.
The fake smiles are sending me.
No grace under pressure.
She is telling them how to fix her shoes.
On the work front, Jennie released her first studio album, Ruby, in March and performed at Coachella 2025 as a solo artist. After wrapping solo projects, all BLACKPINK members have come together for group activities after nearly two years. BLACKPINK kicked off their world tour ‘DEADLINE’ last weekend and will perform in LA on July 12-13.
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