Even if 2025 Melon music awards (MMA 2025) ended several days ago, the aftershocks of the event are still being felt. On the morning of December 23, Koreaboo reported that a short clip that now surpasses 2 million views and shows an interaction between BLACKPINK’s Jennie and IVE’s Jang Wonyoung suddenly went viral and became a hot topic across Asian social media platforms.
In the clip, Jennie is seen bowing first as Jang Wonyoung walks up to her seat. Only then does Jang Wonyoung bow back. This small detail quickly ignited anger among some BLACKPINK fans. According to traditional etiquette in the Korean entertainment industry, many believe that young people should greet their elders first. As a result, some viewers felt that Jang Wonyoung, as a junior idol, should have bowed to Jennie before Jennie began the greeting.
Following the release of the clip, several BLACKPINK fans accused Jang Wonyoung of disrespecting her superiors. Others expressed frustration and sympathy towards Jennie, claiming that it was unfair for her, despite being an established senior artist, to have to bow down to a younger idol first.
Harsh criticism of Jang Wonyoung quickly emerged on online forums and social media. The comments included observations such as: “Is Jang Wonyoung showing bad manners again?”, “This clip proves why Jennie is the only true IT Girl: she’s kind and respectful, unlike anyone else,” AND “Did Jennie have to bow first even though she is the oldest?”
At the same time, many netizens jumped in to defend Jang Wonyoung, pointing out that bowing slightly later does not amount to disrespect. Supporters pointed out that she bowed and did not ignore Jennie at all. Comments in his defense included: “Judging her character just because she bowed a second later is unreasonable,” “She clearly said hello to Jennie, so why is she being attacked so harshly?” AND “I honestly don’t see any problem, it’s nice to see two important visual elements interact.”
As the debate continues, the viral moment highlights once again how even the smallest gestures between top idols can be amplified, scrutinized, and hotly debated in today’s online fandom culture.
Sources: K14
