As the idol group BTS and the Netflix sitcom "Squid Game" gain international acclaim, global interest in "K-culture" grows.

Furthermore, on May 28th, at the "75th Cannes Film Festival", actor Song Kang Ho and director Park Chan Wook were nominated Best Actor side by side and gained worldwide acclaim.

However, there are cases where Korean stars who have become famous all over the world have been treated rudely while fulfilling their schedules abroad.

Let us now meet the celebrities who have not only promoted "Korean" culture globally, but have also encountered absurd things abroad.

IU

On March 26th, IU was pushed by French influencer into the "75th Cannes Film Festival" with "Broker," her first commercial film leading role.

She "accidentally" pushed her on the shoulder so hard that IU's body shook, then moved by without apologizing.

As the uproar escalated, the said influencer posted an Instagram story tagging IU's account and saying, "I had no idea. I genuinely apologize."

Then she issued a ludicrous apology, saying, "I want to do makeup once as an apology, and I hope you would reply if you read the message."

Lee Seo Jin

Lee Seo Jin, who attended the American Academy Awards, was shown holding the bag of American actress Jamie Lee Curtis in tvN's "Unexpected Journey," which aired on the 29th.

Jamie Lee Curtis asked Lee Seo Jin, who was first meeting him, to keep his bag and then left without properly thanking him.

Through the subtitles, the tvN's "Unexpected Journey" side stressed that Lee Seo Jin and her were the first.

Domestic viewers were furious, claiming, "It is discriminatory to have actors from other nations play 'bag shuttle'".

BTS' V

V attended the "64th Grammy Awards" in April and had a great time putting on a great show.

In the part where he opened his mouth to admire the performances of other musicians, Australian media "The Project" included a CG portraying a virus.

It was edited as if V was spreading the virus in the middle of certain Westerners' Asian hostility when it initially appeared in China.

Following the release of the video, the BTS fan club "Army" protested against the broadcaster and demanded to apologize.

Lee Jung Jae

Film director Steven Spielberg, well-known as a world-famous master, sparked controversy when he referred to Lee Jung Jae as an "unknown actor" during a speech at the American Producers' Guild Awards on March 19th.

Netizens who heard Steven Spielberg's remarks poured out reactions that were rude. This is because Lee Jung Jae was already a top actor in Korea.

On the same day, he said, "I was inspired by the fact that 'Squid Game' accomplished so much without any American actors".

Many who heard Steven Spielberg's US-centric remarks also heavily criticized him.

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BTS's Jin continues to shine bright with his massive popularity, securing the No. 1 spot in the MY1PICK weekly rankings for an impressive 43 consecutive weeks!

In the MY1PICK K-POP Individual Category Weekly Ranking for the third week of December (December 16–22), Jin earned a massive 6,154,905 hearts, keeping his position at the top. From the 5th week of February to the 3rd week of December, Jin has been unbeatable in the weekly rankings, proving he has an enormous fanbase and global influence.

But Jin’s achievements don’t stop there. In November, he dominated the K-POP Individual Category Monthly Ranking, topping it with 25,452,283 hearts. He has held the No. 1 spot for 11 months straight, from January to November, showing his continuous popularity throughout the year.

Jin also claimed victory in the One Pick Chart’s “November Monthly Chart K-POP (Solo)” category, holding the No. 1 position for 8 months in a row, from April to November. On top of that, he won the 2024 Season Chart K-POP (SOLO) for both the 2nd and 3rd quarters, making him the best One Pick star of the season.

The Season Chart awards honor artists who have consistently earned love from fans, with a physical trophy given to the top artist. Jin’s back-to-back victories solidify his place as one of the most beloved stars in K-pop.

Jin’s fan power doesn’t end with rankings. He’s also triumphed in numerous themed votes, taking first place in categories like “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of,” “Star You Want to See First Pitch at a Baseball Game,” “Best Cooking Genius Idol,” “Star Who Would Be the Best Child,” and “Star You Would Fall in Love With at First Sight.” His reward advertisement for the “Star You Want to Collect All Photo Cards Of” vote began airing on December 26 and can be seen at Yeoksam Station until December 30.

Meanwhile, Jin’s first solo album Happy was released on November 15 and quickly became a global hit, showcasing his talents as a solo artist. He held a special showcase, Jin ‘Happy’ Special Stage, on November 16 and 17, where fans were captivated by his beautiful vocals and flawless live performance.

Jin has also been keeping busy with appearances on popular variety shows like Salon Drip 2, Neighborhood Star K4, and Limousine Service. He’s also appeared on famous American talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Japan’s top music program Venue 101, where he impressed fans with his humor and solid live performances. His reputation as the “Vocal King” and “Live King” is stronger than ever!

As if that wasn't enough, Jin is also gaining attention globally for singing the main theme song for the new tvN drama Ask the Stars. Jin's talents continue to wow the world, and it's clear he's not slowing down anytime soon!

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