On October 1 (local time), Jennie attended the Chanel fashion show in Paris as the official brand ambassador.
Jennie grabbed attention with her transformation into a blonde hairstyle, wearing a sky blue knitted top paired with bold short shorts.
During the event, Jennie greeted several celebrities, including Margaret Qualley, and they even took photos together. However, a video of their meeting was shared on social media, sparking controversy. After a brief hug, Margaret Qualley touched Jennie’s hair and asked: “Is this your real hair?”
Then, when Jennie replied no, Qualley expressed his surprise, saying: “It feels real.”
Some netizens criticized Qualley’s behavior as racially insensitive. Not only was it rude to touch someone’s hair without permission, but asking a black person if their blonde hair was real was seen as a racially discriminatory remark.
Additionally, as Jennie posed for a photo with Qualley, Qualley appeared to subtly turn his face away from Jennie’s kiss-like gesture, which further fueled the controversy. Jennie seemed to laugh at the awkward moment.
Qualley is known to be affectionate with Hollywood stars, often exchanging cheek kisses and engaging in close physical contact, which made her behavior towards Jennie even more questionable.
Margaret Qualley has appeared in films such as “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Death Note” and “My Salinger Year,” and is also a muse for Chanel.
Meanwhile, global pop star Beyoncé faced a similar situation in November last year when she revealed her blonde hair. She received criticism, with people accusing her of trying to “go white” through skin lightening and blonde hair. Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, responded on social media, condemning the remarks as ignorant and racist, pointing out that many talented black celebrities have worn blonde hair without attempting to be white.
On the other hand, while in Paris, Jennie was also insulted by French “fans” during her free time.
Source: Daum
