Angelababy Faces Backlash for Attending BLACKPINK Concert Amidst Growing Anti-Korean Sentiment in China
Chinese celebrity Angela Yeung, commonly known as Angelababy, has recently faced backlash from a section of Chinese netizens after attending the concert of Korean pop group, BLACKPINK, thus sparking further anti-Korean sentiment.
BLACKPINK held their world tour, 'BORN PINK,' over two days on the 20th and 21st in Macau.
Thousands of BLACKPINK fans, affectionately called 'Blinks', flocked to the venue, including notable figures such as Angelababy, Taiwanese cellist Ouyang Nana, and Mario Ho, the son of late casino magnate Stanley Ho. They all gathered to revel in the energetic performance of BLACKPINK.
This wasn't Angelababy's first time showing her fandom; she previously attended a BLACKPINK concert in Hong Kong in January. However, her public support for the Korean pop group has been met with criticism from some Chinese netizens, who cited the political tensions between China and Korea, questioning, "Should a Chinese actress attend a Korean girl group's concert?" Some even labeled Angelababy a 'traitor,' and hashtags mentioning her attendance at the BLACKPINK concert began trending on Chinese social networks.
Local foreign media reported at the time that the source of dissatisfaction from some Chinese individuals was allegedly due to Korea's heightened COVID-19 regulations, including mandatory PCR testing for incoming travelers from China.
Despite the backlash, Angelababy showed her unwavering support for BLACKPINK by attending their concert again. Recently, a list of celebrities who attended the BLACKPINK concert started spreading on the Chinese social network, Weibo, which led to calls for a boycott against them. Despite this, the concert tickets in China sold out immediately upon release, and scalped tickets even reached up to eight times their original price online, showcasing the group's immense local popularity. However, this has not prevented a lingering wave of negative sentiment.
Meanwhile, BLACKPINK is gearing up for their next concert in Osaka, Japan, scheduled for June 3rd and 4th.
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