KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 — Jennie of South Korean girl group Blackpink has come under fire from social media users for cultural appropriation over her role in the HBO series The Idol.
In a scene where she performs as a back-up dancer, Jennie has her hair in cornrows which is a traditional style of braids in African culture, in which the hair is braided very close to the scalp to make continuous, raised rows, Straits Times reported.
The drama, co-created by Sam Levinson, follows a self-help guru and cult leader portrayed by singer The Weeknd as he enters into a complicated relationship with a rising pop idol, played by Lily-Rose Depp.
Jennie is making her Hollywood debut in the series, which was co-created by The Weeknd.
While some defended the 26-year-old saying it was the decision of the producers of the show, others called out the K-pop idol for not speaking up about it, saying she had the clout to make a difference.
Fellow Blackpink member Lisa, 25, had similarly been called out for cultural appropriation in September 2021 for having dreadlocks in her Money music video.
She subsequently apologised to her fans via a video call.
