MANILA, Philippines — Blackpink member Jennie Kim apologized after she was spotted vaping indoors in a video.
Jennie's agency Odd Atelier (OA Entertainment) released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) addressing the issue on Tuesday.
“Hello. This is OA Entertainment. We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable with Jennie's actions in the content released on the 2nd. Jennie acknowledges and deeply regrets her mistake of vaping indoors and causing inconvenience to the staff. Jennie has personally apologized to all the staff on-site who may have been affected. We apologize to her fans who have been disappointed through this incident. We hope to prevent this from reoccurring in the future,” the statement read.
The controversy started on July 8, when a video clip of Kim blowing a vape indoors — while several hair and make-up artists were working closely on her face — spread across social media and online communities. The video has been taken down.
According to AFP via The Korea Times, one internet user claimed the incident most likely happened in Capri, Italy, where Jennie was filming. The user also requested “an investigation from the Italian authorities regarding Blackpink member Jennie's indoor smoking incident and take strict action,” the report said.
The South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, told AFP on Tuesday, that they had received a petition similar to the incident.
Smoking or vaping indoors in South Korea is illegal. South Korea adopted a law in 2015 prohibiting smoking inside public spaces. There are penalties for violating the anti-smoking law, depending on how serious the violation was, the fine could range from anything from KRW 100,000 to KRW 5 million. In South Korea, there is also a growing perception that smoking is an undesirable social behavior. Smokers may experience rejection from others or judgment.
Kim previously admitted that she was struggling with these expectations, in a Netflix documentary in 2016 when Blackpink debuted.
“It's really harsh,” Jennie said in a Netflix documentary.
She also recalled her training period, saying, “We were not allowed to drink, smoke, or get a tattoo.” She also added that she had to put up with “being told that I'm not good at stuff.”
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