On April 23 (local time), Jisoo attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Cannes Film Festival International Series in France, where she was honored with the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award. She became the first Asian actress and artist to receive the recognition.
Dressed in a pink dress, Jisoo took the stage and briefly expressed her gratitude in French, saying: “A thousand thanks.”
The festival organizers presented it as “a pop icon with over 80 million followers and member of the global K-pop group BLACKPINK, who is now emerging as a notable actress.” Artistic director Albin Lewis mentioned it “artistic journey, ability to explore new creative fields and global aura” as reasons for his choice.
However, the news quickly sparked debate in Korea. Jisoo has faced constant criticism for her acting since her debut as a leading lady Snowdropfollowed by projects such as Newtopia, The omniscient reader’s point of viewAND Monthly boyfriend. Critics have repeatedly pointed out problems with his performance and emotional expression.
As a result, some netizens questioned the award and commented on it “everyone else won for acting skills except Jisoo,” referencing past recipients such as Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal people), Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton), Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) and Ella Purnell (Fall).
At the same time, others pointed out that the award is not strictly based on acting skills. Selection criteria reportedly include international influence, screen presence and artistic growth– factors in which Jisoo clearly stands out for its global popularity.
His recent project Monthly boyfriend performed well despite internal criticism, ranking first in Netflix’s Global Top 10 (non-English series) and debuting at fourth place in its first week.
Furthermore, some have pointed out that the Cannes International Series Festival is a TV-focused event and separate from the Cannes Film Festival, suggesting that comparisons can be misleading.
With opinions sharply divided, Jisoo’s win once again highlighted the ongoing debate in K-entertainment: where the line is drawn between global influence and acting credibility.
It remains to be seen whether this recognition marks a turning point in her acting career or fuels further analysis.
Sources: Daum | sports trends
