The recent release of HBO's "The Idol" featuring BLACKPINK's Jennie has elicited strong negative responses from Korean netizens, leading to a storm of online controversy.

"The Idol," which chronicles the journey of a budding artist in the tumultuous music industry, is set to be officially released on June 4. However, initial episodes have stirred a hornet's nest due to its explicit content.

Variety, an American media outlet, recently posted a tweet reviewing the early episodes of the show. The review highlighted disturbing scenes including "nightclub-owning scam artists," "vile Hollywood sycophants," and sexually explicit material. The tweet incited a barrage of criticism, especially from Korean online platforms.

This contentious tweet quickly spread across Korean online communities, with many users expressing shock and incredulity. The rampant explicit content raised concerns about its approval for broadcast. Amid the public uproar, several comments pointed towards Jennie's participation in the series, with users questioning why she would agree to be part of such a show.

Expressions of revulsion flooded social media, with terms like "dirty" and "nauseating" frequently surfacing. Some users claimed they felt deceived as the storyline seemed to have deviated drastically from its original plot. This led to accusations of the actors being misled or "scammed."

Further fuelling the controversy were reports about the explicit scenes in the show. Episode 2, for instance, is said to contain a graphic sexual scene featuring actors The Weeknd and Lily. Comments related to the episode suggested that the director had originally intended for the scene to be even more prolonged.

Another reported instance from the first episode involved a scene where Lily is compelled to pose nude for an album cover, evoking unease among viewers. This scenario necessitated the involvement of an intimacy coordinator. The episode concludes with a violent and sexually explicit scene, contributing to the ongoing controversy and viewer discomfort.

The backlash has consequently tarnished the image of the artists involved in the series. Some netizens confessed their struggle to dissociate The Weeknd's music from the explicit scenes shown in "The Idol." One comment encapsulated the sentiment, stating, "I can't act like I don't know anymore. This is so uncomfortable."

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