Latest news with #TheIdol
NDTV
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Why BLACKPINK's Jennie And Lisa Are Everything K-Pop Fears
New Delhi: What do you get when you mix scandal, sequins, cultural backlash and global stardom? A BLACKPINK member navigating the treacherous lanes of K-pop idolhood while refusing to colour within the lines. Once upon a time, and still, to some extent, K-pop idols were expected to be as flawless as their complexion, as docile as their curated interviews and as controversy-free as their airbrushed social media feeds. But in a world where image is everything and missteps can be career-ending, BLACKPINK's Jennie and Lisa have become fascinating studies in rebellion. They're not just pushing boundaries; they're obliterating them and, in doing so, perhaps rewriting the K-pop manual itself. The 'Ideal Idol' Manual The 'ideal idol' is less of a person and more of a prototype. South Korea's entertainment industry has long expected its idols to embody a specific image: wholesome, obedient, modest, humble and scandal-free. This involves abstaining from dating, partying, smoking or expressing strong opinions. A perfectly ironed shirt, an asexual smile and silence in the face of injustice were considered brand assets. Agencies tightly control every aspect of an idol's life - from diet and wardrobe to speech and social interactions. Dating is often forbidden, controversial topics are taboo, and a single "wrong" move can invite the wrath of a hyper-engaged public. The Korean entertainment industry's infamous cancel culture, coupled with the vigilant gaze of conservative netizens, ensures that even perceived transgressions invite boycotts, cyberbullying and PR crises. The Culture Of Cancellation Unlike in the West, where fans often separate art from the artist, Korea's celebrity culture is built on inseong, a concept that blends morality, image and public duty. K-pop idols are viewed as national representatives and role models, making personal transgressions feel like public betrayals. Cancellation in this context is swift and brutal. A whiff of impropriety - be it vaping indoors, dating, wearing the wrong costume, or being too expressive - can erase years of goodwill. Agencies scramble for damage control, fan forums explode, and media coverage is relentless. Comebacks, if they happen at all, are rare. But then, enter Jennie Kim and Lalisa Manoban. Jennie Kim, The Rebel With A Storm She debuted with a pout, rapped with elegance and danced like seduction incarnate. Jennie was always different. Often dubbed the 'Princess of YG', she has faced as much scrutiny as she has adoration. Her appearance in HBO's The Idol was a tipping point. Playing Dyanne, a backup dancer entangled in risque choreography, Jennie shared screen space with Lily-Rose Depp in scenes that Korean netizens deemed "provocative" and "inappropriate for an idol." The choreography involved sensual movements and close physical contact with male dancers, enough to stir cultural anxieties about the 'ideal behaviour' of female idols. Jennie, however, remained unapologetic. In Dua Lipa's podcast, she opened up about the suffocating control that came with being a K-pop star. "Starting my career in Korea as a K-pop artist has restricted so many sides of me," she said, adding, "I was scared to even express myself." With The Idol, Jennie wasn't just acting; she was reclaiming her narrative. And this wasn't her first brush with controversy. From being accused of laziness on stage to the whirlwind dating rumours with EXO's Kai and BTS's V, Jennie has often been subjected to double standards. Dating, for instance, is an industry taboo, but the attention on Jennie's personal life has been disproportionate, labelled "Seoul Cycle" by rival fandoms and targeted by podcast-driven "slut-shaming" and baseless "yacht girl" allegations. She's also been caught in cultural appropriation storms, from donning cornrows in The Idol to using sacred Hindu imagery and dance forms in music videos like Kill This Love and Boombayah. Each controversy sparked international criticism. Yet, amid calls for apologies and accountability, Jennie's response has often been through silence or subtle defiance, like putting up a Mantra-titled billboard in Delhi amid backlash over cultural insensitivity. Her comeback single, Mantra, drew criticism for its title's spiritual connotations not aligning with the lyrics. But fans, especially Indian, were divided. Was it tone-deaf marketing or was it brilliance? Either way, Jennie was once again walking the razor's edge between fame and fallout. Lalisa Manoban, The Star With Consequences Lisa's journey has been equally unorthodox and controversial. As a Thai artist dominating the Korean scene, her mere existence is a disruption of the monolithic K-pop idol ideal. But her recent career moves have added more fuel to the fire. Performing at Paris's Crazy Horse cabaret ( known for burlesque and topless shows), Lisa invited a storm of judgment. While fans praised her for owning her sensuality, conservative circles and Chinese netizens were outraged. Weibo, China's top social media platform, banned her account following the performances. Chinese actress Angelababy, who attended Lisa's show, also faced social backlash. The burlesque performance stood in stark contrast to K-pop's sanitised image of female idols. Lisa's outfit at the 2025 Met Gala, which appeared to feature Rosa Parks' image on her bodysuit's underwear, further worsened the backlash. Many found it disrespectful and accused Lisa of trivialising civil rights symbolism. Louis Vuitton, the designer, claimed it was a tribute, but the outrage didn't settle. Then came the blackfishing accusations. Teasers for her single Rockstar featured Lisa in a visibly darker tone and hip-hop aesthetics, only for her next release Born Again to show a significantly paler look with a pop-centric vibe. Critics argued the shift was opportunistic, that Lisa was adopting Black aesthetics when it suited her sound and discarding them when it didn't. As a non-Korean in an industry already hyper-critical of women, Lisa's every move has been magnified. Her past has also seen accusations of cultural appropriation - from box braids in Kill This Love to costumes that offended religious sentiments. But like Jennie, Lisa has neither bowed down nor offered sweeping public apologies. They, Somehow, Survived The Fire What sets Jennie and Lisa apart isn't just that they faced backlash; it's that they kept moving forward. In a system where idols vanish after controversies, these women leaned in. They didn't perform contrition as the industry often demands. Instead, they used global platforms - the Met Gala, HBO, Billboard charts - to shift the narrative. Their agency, YG Entertainment, once known for its laissez-faire attitude toward scandals, no longer shields them the way it used to. Jennie has now launched her own agency, and Lisa is expanding her global footprint with collaborations and solo ventures, distancing themselves from YG's image-policing machinery. Yes, they've made mistakes. Yes, they've been tone-deaf. But they are also navigating the impossible intersection of global fame and local scrutiny, all while being young, ambitious women in an industry that doesn't like rule-breakers unless they're men. The Bottomline Jennie and Lisa are not perfect. They are complex, sometimes contradictory, and often controversial. But in a world that demands female idols be angels in Chanel heels, their unapologetic selfhood is a quiet revolution. They are not rewriting the K-pop rulebook; they are burning it and making their own. And maybe, just maybe, that's what the next generation of idols needs: less perfection, more honesty. Less meekness, more madness. Less idol, more individual.
News18
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Lily-Rose Depp Shares Sweet Birthday Post For Her Partner 070 Shake
Last Updated: On 070 Shake's birthday, Lily-Rose Depp shared unseen pictures of the couple on her Instagram Stories. Lily-Rose Depp made her boyfriend 070 Shake's birthday special with a sweet message on social media. On her partner's special day, the Nosferatu actress shared unseen pictures of the couple on her Instagram Stories. The two have been officially dating since 2023. In a pic, 070 Shake, whose real name is Danielle Balbuena, is sitting at a table. He is looking at his phone and wearing a black leather jacket. Another photo captured the couple together, in which Lily-Rose is looking pretty in a floral dress, while 070 Shake looks dashing in a white shirt, underneath a black vest. Lily-Rose shared a special message for 070 Shake on social media by posting two photos. In the first photo, where the rapper is seen sitting at a restaurant, the actress lovingly called her the 'Dreamboat." In the second photo, which features both of them posing together, the actress simply mentioned 'LOML," which stands for 'love of my life." Even though Lily-Rose Depp and 070 Shake usually keep their relationship private, in 2024, The Idol star spoke about Danielle Balbuena during the 15th annual Governors Awards. It was a rare moment when she mentioned her partner and showed appreciation for her music. The actress said, 'I feel like there's not enough time in these short interviews to really sum it up. But I'm incredibly proud. Yeah, she's incredibly talented. I'm very proud. I mean, I think it's, you know, it's that kind of je ne sais quoi. You can't describe that kind of feeling. But yeah, I'm very happy." #LilyRoseDepp and #070Shake have that "je ne sais quoi" kind of love. ❤️ #GovernorsAwards — E! News (@enews) November 18, 2024 Before she started dating 070 Shake, Lily-Rose Depp was in a two year relationship with The Wonka star Timothee Chalamet, which ended in 2021. After that, she was linked to actor Austin Butler, but nothing serious was confirmed. On the other hand, 070 Shake was in a short relationship with singer Kehlani in 2021. Before meeting the fellow musician, she had a four year long relationship with model Sophia Diana Lodato. First Published:
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Euphoria Fans Upset Over Season 3's Episode Count: ‘Could've Been An Email'
Last Updated: Euphoria originally premiered in June 2019, followed by two special episodes in December 2020, and Season 2 came out in January 2022. Zendaya's teen drama Euphoria is set to be back with season 3. But fans aren't too thrilled about the upcoming season of the hit HBO drama. Why? There is an update stating that Euphoria season 3 would have eight episodes, just like its previous seasons. While season 2 was released within just two years after season 1 premiered, Euphoria fans have been waiting for nearly four years for new episodes. And when reports suggested that season 3 would have only eight episodes, fans were highly upset. Taking to social media, they vented out their frustration on getting just eight episodes after such a long wait, which is not yet over. On an Instagram post, one fan said, 'This season could've been an email, tbh." Another commented, '4 years???….the plot better be good…like really freaking good…" A different fan of the show joked, 'Me graduating high school and getting my bachelor's degree in the meantime." Another upset fan wrote, 'It's sad to say, but I'm honestly over it LMAOO. Like they should have just made a little follow-up special to tie it up and called it a day at this point." Someone else penned, 'These episodes better be 3 hours each if it took 4 years to make." View this post on Instagram A post shared by MEMEZAR • MEMES & MEME-CULTURE (@memezar) Euphoria originally premiered in June 2019, followed by two special episodes in December 2020. Season 2 came out in January 2022, which was still manageable by the fans. Now, it looks like fans have to wait until 2026, which is more than four years, for season 3, as there still has been no confirmation on the release date. There are definite reasons for the delay in season 3 of Euphoria, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rising fame of the star cast, and the sudden demise of actor Angus Cloud. Moreover, Euphoria's showrunner Sam Levinson was busy with another HBO project, The Idol, featuring The Weeknd, Lily Rose-Depp and BLACKPINK's Jennie. Still, fans aren't convinced with such excuses. Back in November of last year, HBO's CEO Casey Bloys reassured fans that Euphoria's next chapter was on track and confirmed the start date. The shoot for season 3 reportedly began in January this year. The upcoming season will feature the usual faces, including Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Elordi, Hunter Schafer, Storm Reid, Alexa Demie and Eric Dane. First Published:
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Is Everyone Mad at One of Our Biggest Pop Stars? It's Complicated.
I wonder what ever happened to the Twitter user who niche-famously posted last fall about being '17 and AFRAID of Sabrina Carpenter.' Are they now head of DOGE or some other important government agency? Whatever the case (the user seems to have deactivated for the time being, at least), their worldview has been ascendant over the past year, because Carpenter has found herself at the center of controversy again, this one about her yet-to-be-released new album. And this time, being afraid of the pint-sized pop star seems less and less like a fringe position. Sabrina Carpenter shared the news on Thursday that she will release her next album, Man's Best Friend, later this summer. Two photos accompanied the announcement, but most people haven't said much about the one of a dog wearing a collar with Man's Best Friend engraved on it, focusing instead on the artwork that features Carpenter herself wearing a short dress and heels and kneeling in front of a figure in a dark suit whose head is out of frame. She's not quite on all fours—sorry, Miranda July!—but she's got one arm on the floor and one reaching, like a dog doing its best handshake trick, toward what is presumably a man, who is meanwhile grabbing and holding up some strands of her blond hair. At the risk of outing myself as a prude, I'm going to admit that my first reaction to the image wasn't to chuckle to myself and marvel at another clever move from my girl Sabrina. No, I was kind of put off by it, to be honest. In contrast to Carpenter's past year of perfectly pitched visuals marrying bubblegum and bawdy, this photo is undeniably darker and more suggestive. I even thought of that HBO series from a couple years ago, The Idol, which I may be cursed to be one of the only people who remembers: There's a moment in one episode when a music-industry character suggests making lemonade of a public relations fiasco that the pop musician at the center of the show has become embroiled in due to a fairly explicit leaked picture of her. 'I would take that photo with the fucking cum on her face and I'd make it her album cover,' proposes the creative director, winkingly played by Troye Sivan, who is himself a pop artist. Carpenter's album cover isn't going nearly that far, as it's blessedly free of body fluids, but at the same time I don't think it would be a stretch to call the image softcore, or at least softcore-adjacent. I wasn't alone in my visceral reaction, and the photo has quickly proved to be a veritable discourse magnet. In comments under Carpenter's Instagram post and elsewhere online, some fans immediately bristled at the singer's subservient pose. Even after my own response, I was surprised by how overwhelmingly negative much of it was. The main problem, as fans and detractors saw it, was that Carpenter was catering to what they called 'the male gaze'—attempting to appeal to men and generally objectifying and debasing herself. Many made a point of gesturing to our current political climate in their critiques, talking about how it was particularly offensive to roll out an image like this at a time when women's rights are being rolled back and messages like 'Her Body, My Choice' are on the rise. Despite my qualms, I don't actually want to be on the side of a bunch of puriteens, so I'm glad some fans and observers stepped in to defend Carpenter, arguing that she's being playful and satirizing the public's view of her and men's treatment of women. Like many of them, I worry that we're at risk of bullying women so hard for the sin of 'being male-centered' that we loop back around to shaming them for being at all sexual. It's not fair for us to expect female pop stars to embody some corny notion of empowerment, and I'm also glad Carpenter isn't giving us an album cover as nonsensically boring as the one Gracie Abrams put out last year, which I'm still mad about. I think it's possible, conveniently enough for me, that both factions may have it a little wrong here. I certainly think it would behoove the people hating on the cover image to learn more about the origins of the phrase 'the male gaze,' for one thing. But I also think some of the defenses of Carpenter have been a little too quick to champion an image that isn't landing successfully for a reason. I generally find Carpenter's 'horned-up gal' persona charming: I thought it was hilarious, for instance, and not at all inappropriate, when she made an Eiffel Tower visual joke at her recent tour stop in Paris. A lot of what Carpenter is doing with the character she's playing when she's performing is subtle and strangely difficult to articulate—what for another person might look like an elaborate play for male attention plays differently when it's something that tiny, silly-mannered Carpenter is enacting for an audience of primarily women. I guess those of us, like me, who enjoy this act of Carpenter's are susceptible to feeling worried that she's going to drop it in favor of something more overtly sexual, because that's what this new kind of imagery has frequently signaled in the past. Thinking about it more, the photography style, evocative of an era with some pretty regrettable sexual politics, is a big part of why. As others have pointed out, the aesthetic is pure Terry Richardson and American Apparel—Carpenter may be dressed like a 2020s office siren, but I know indie sleaze when I see it. It's impossible to see the hair grab outside of the context of our overly pornified culture. But I would also argue that the album cover is just flat-out less funny than Carpenter's usual antics. I like how goofy and exaggerated the Carpenter I've gotten to know is; that doesn't mean she shouldn't evolve, but it's understandable that Carpenter going from carrying herself like a sexy cartoon bunny to channeling Maggie Gyllenhaal in Secretary is going to inspire a little whiplash. It's totally OK that this specific image isn't landing for some of us, and I find the impulse of some people to basically start a crusade against Carpenter as an enemy of women over this troubling. Messy rollouts are one of the dangers of being a pop star and a woman in the public eye, something Carpenter knows all too well. Ironically, just as she revealed this album cover this week, Rolling Stone published a new cover story about her, and in it she spoke about how much emphasis the public puts on the sexier aspects of her persona. 'It's always so funny to me when people complain,' she said in the Rolling Stone piece. 'They're like, 'All she does is sing about this.' But those are the songs that you've made popular. Clearly you love sex. You're obsessed with it. It's in my show. There's so many more moments than the 'Juno' positions, but those are the ones you post every night and comment on. I can't control that. If you come to the show, you'll [also] hear the ballads, you'll hear the more introspective numbers.' She has a point—it's true that we could all just choose not to talk about this. (Like that's ever stopped anyone on the internet.) In the same interview, Carpenter spoke of now feeling pressure to be funny. Maybe the most generous interpretation of this cover, then, is just that it was a misfire, an attempt at satire that only sticks out because of how weirdly perfectly Carpenter has managed to pull off a very hard-to-pull-off tone for the better part of the past year. We'll never know, at least until she comes out with a vetted public statement, or her new album reveals precisely where she's taking her image next. I know it's easy to be paranoid, and I'm paranoid too that Carpenter's reign of being a subversive bimbo genius is going to give way to something flatter and defanged of its bite. But she deserves more credit than that for all the genuinely tricky feats she's accomplished so far. That's that her espresso, and it hasn't truly failed us yet.
Buzz Feed
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
10 Times Method Actors Made Work Hell For Their Costars
1. The Weeknd's The Idol costar Lily-Rose Depp revealed she'd 'steer clear' of him on set when he was fully in character as Tedros, an abusive and sleazy night-club owner. She told Entertainment Weekly, 'Sometimes when Abel would get — I don't want to reveal too much about where Abel's character goes, but when he would be in full Tedros mode sometimes — I would steer clear of him.' 2. Jared Leto famously sent his Suicide Squad costars a bunch of disgusting 'gifts,' including dead animals, anal beads, and used condoms. He told E!, 'I did a lot of things to create a dynamic, to create an element of surprise, of spontaneity, and to really break down any kind of walls that may be there. I mean, the Joker is somebody who doesn't really respect things like personal space or boundaries.' Naturally, a bunch of his costars called him out, including Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Will Smith, and Viola Davis. 3. Robert Pattinson admitted that he got on Willem Dafoe's nerves on the set of The Lighthouse. Robert said that because he was playing 'fucking psychotic' Ephraim Winslow, he felt it was OK to 'be mad the whole time.' "You can literally just be sitting on the floor, growling and licking up puddles of mud...[I was] basically unconscious the whole time. It was crazy. I spent so much time making myself throw up. Pissing my pants. It's the most revolting thing. I don't know, maybe it's really annoying," he said. 4. Brian Cox once said that he found his Succession costar Jeremy Strong's method acting 'fucking annoying.' For context, Jeremy has publicly shared that he refused to rehearse with his costars on the show because he wanted 'every scene' to feel like he was 'encountering a bear in the woods.' 'I think you have to go through whatever the ordeal is that the character has to go through,' Jeremy said. 'If I have any method at all, it is simply this: to clear away anything — anything — that is not the character and the circumstances of the scene … usually that means clearing away almost everything around and inside you, so that you can be a more complete vessel for the work at hand,' he shared in 2021. 5. Tyrese Gibson once claimed that his Annapolis costar James Franco 'never snapped out of character' on set. 'I respect method actors, but he never snapped out of character. Whenever we'd have to get in the ring for boxing scenes, and even during practice, the dude was full-on hitting me. I was always like, 'James, lighten up, man. We're just practicing.' He never lightened up,' he claimed. 6. Daniel Day-Lewis's method acting for Phantom Thread seriously annoyed his costar Vicky Krieps, who told the Telegraph: 'After half the movie, I was just really tired of it. Like, 'OK, I get it. It's a game. I've played it. But can we just talk normally now, please?'' 7. Paul Giamatti once called out his Man on the Moon costar Jim Carrey's 'wacky' behavior on set. He said, 'It was one of the weirdest experiences I've had making a movie, to be honest with you. It was just wacky. Jim was wacky during it. He did this whole thing where he was Andy Kaufman all the time when he was on set and when he was in the costume, and was Tony Clifton all the time when he was Tony Clifton…When he was Tony Clifton, he had cheese — Limburger cheese — in his pockets, so he smelled horrible. And he'd constantly be hugging people, and he had it all over his hands and stuff. It was disgusting. He was touching people and making them shake his hands all the time. He smelled horrible. Like, really bad. It was just weird. And that's the least of it.' 8. In 2022, Jesse Plemons called out his The Power of the Dog costar Benedict Cumberbatch for making a rude comment about him while in character. 'There was one time he got under my skin. He was like, 'Hey, big boy.' It wasn't 'fatso.' I feel like a few people in life have been like, 'Hey, big boy,' and I was like, 'Goddamn it. What the fuck,'' he told Variety. 9. Meryl Streep once called out her Kramer vs. Kramer costar Dustin Hoffman for allegedly slapping her off-script without consent. She told the New York Times, 'This is tricky because when you're an actor, you're in a scene, you have to feel free. I'm sure that I have inadvertently hurt people in physical scenes. But there's a certain amount of forgiveness in that. But this was my first movie, and it was my first take in my first movie, and he just slapped me. And you see it in the movie. It was overstepping.' 10. And finally, I had to include Timothée Chalamet's recent comments about an unnamed actor who made his on-set experience filming a Western quite 'something' after they simply 'weren't washing' in a bid to stay in character. 'It was quite something on set. That waft coming in every day,' he said. If you can think of more examples, feel free to share in the comments!
