BLACKPINK’s Jennie Receives Scathing Criticism Over Her Different Reactions To Wildfires In LA And South Korea

Many accused her of duplicity.

BLACKPINK member Jennie is being criticized by Korean netizens for her reaction, or lack thereof, to the devastating wildfires in Korea.

Jennie | @jennierubyjane/Instagram

South Korea is currently witnessing the largest wildfires in its history, which have reportedly engulfed over 38,000 hectares of area, destroying cultural landmarks, and claiming 28 lives so far.

| Antony Wallace/AFP

The tragedy has prompted many Korean celebrities to empathize with the victims and contribute to the relief efforts. But Jennie’s apparent silence over the issue ticked off many.

In a post that has since gone viral on Nate Pann, a netizen criticized Jennie claiming that she didn’t care about Korea. The OP (original poster) explained their stance behind this claim, stating that Jennie had made a post on her social media account during the LA wildfires to raise awareness and encouraged people to contribute but made no such efforts for Korea’s wildfires. They also added that during the LA wildfires, Korea also witnessed a devastating tragedy involving the Jeju Air plane crash, but Jennie never publicly commented on that issue either.

| Nate Pann

The OP also criticized Jennie for not donating to the wildfire victims in Korea, but just a day after the post, on March 28, KST, Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association announced that the idol had donated ₩100 million KRW (about $68,400 USD) to help restore the damages that occurred from the wildfires. Jennie also expressed her condolences for the victims, wishing for everyone’s safety.

While many defended Jennie, citing that she did donate to the cause, many netizens took issue with the fact that she never spoke up to spread awareness about Korea’s wildfires as she did with the US calamities.

| Nate Pann

• “The OP isn’t talking about donating. Rather, it’s a shame that she spoke up about the LA wildfires but hasn’t said anything about the wildfires in her home country.”
• “It’s not about saying ‘Go donate.’ The issue is that she wrote a long post on Instagram asking for help and made donations as well. But despite the fact that the wildfires in Korea were even bigger than the ones in LA, she hasn’t made any statement about it. Isn’t this something to be disappointed about? Does everyone have reading comprehension problems? Jennie is a Korean celebrity. Isn’t she a Korean citizen? It’s honestly disappointing that she’s silent about a situation in Korea.”
• “She’s only lived in New Zealand for about 5 years, and now she’s ‘Kim Ruby Jane Jennie?’ LOL. Let’s be understanding.”
• “She’s clearly someone with a pro-Western mindset. Tsk.”
• “I’m a Jennie fan, but I have to admit it. During the LA wildfires, she said she would donate part of her concert earnings and even posted about it on her official account. But when it comes to the wildfires in her home country, Korea, she didn’t even mention it through her agency’s account, and I can’t help but feel disappointed. When other idols donate, and fans start donation relays, it feels a bit bitter. But then again, it’s not right to just demand that she donates or mentions it. Sigh… I just don’t know anymore.”

BLACKPINK