If there’s one thing people must give K-pop fans credit for, it’s their incredible perceptiveness – even if, at times, their analysis can be a little far-fetched. This latest viral incident doesn’t necessarily require eagle eyes, but it has sparked debate on whether BLACKPINK Rosé (로제) faced some sort of mistreatment by celebrities and media during a recent event.
For context, the K-pop idol recently attended Saint Laurent’s Spring/Summer 2026 fashion show during Paris Fashion Week, where she was spotted sitting alongside singer Charli XCX, model Hailey Bieber and actress Zoë Kravitz. When videos and photos of the event circulated online, fans began to suspect that something was amiss.
Many accused the stars of ignoring or snubbing Rosé, as the BLACKPINK member appeared to be sitting in silence next to them, seemingly excluded from their conversation. Speculation escalated further when Charli XCX posted a carousel of photos from the event, including a group shot of them together. In the image, Rosé appeared to be under a dark shadow, while the others were highlighted in bright light.
As if that were not enough, ELLE UK posted a photo of the celebrities on Instagram, but the “Number One Girl” songstress had been cropped out. This sparked outrage among BLACKPINK fans, who accused the publication of racism. Many also questioned why the magazine would exclude her, particularly given that she is a Saint Laurent global brand ambassador.
Following the backlash, ELLE UK deleted the original post and uploaded a carousel of photos of Rosé along with an apology that reads, ” We sincerely apologise for a recent post from Paris Fashion Week in which Rosé of BLACKPINK was cropped out of a group photo for size. We did not mean to offend anyone. The post has been removed, and ELLE UK remains committed to ensuring our future coverage represents the full spectrum of our audience we so greatly respect.”
As for the Charli XCX incident, the British singer did not respond to the accusations. However, some fans have defended her, arguing that the group photo she shared was simply a case of poor lighting and pointing out that she and the K-pop idol have been longtime friends. It is also worth noting that there were videos of the two artists chatting at the event, which dispute claims that Rosé was being ignored.
For ELLE UK, it’s clear that this was a huge error on their part, but what do you think about the allegations that the celebs were ignoring the K-pop artist?
Sources: Instagram (1)(2), KoreaHerald, Allkpop, StraitsTimes, DailyMail
