Blackpink's Jennie 'regrets' vaping indoors

Jennie from Blackpink has apologized after a video of her vaping indoors caused a huge uproar in South Korea. In the video, Jennie exhaled a puff of smoke that went into the face of her make-up artist, which many people found extremely rude. A popular comment on YouTube asked if she needed to be educated on basic manners. Her label, OA Entertainment, also issued an apology to everyone who felt uncomfortable with Jennie's actions and to her disappointed fans. The label mentioned that Jennie deeply regrets her mistake of vaping indoors and causing inconvenience to the staff. South Korean celebrities are often under intense scrutiny and are expected to adhere to strict moral and behavioral standards. The now-deleted video was initially posted on Jennie's official YouTube channel and quickly spread among her 10 million-plus subscribers. Many people commented that it was not just about smoking but about the rudeness of blowing smoke in someone's face. Another comment mentioned that even smokers know not to blow smoke in their friends' faces, implying that Jennie's actions were inconsiderate. In South Korea, smoking and vaping indoors is banned and can result in a fine of up to ₩100,000 ($72; £56). However, some accounts suggest that the video might have been filmed in Italy, where vaping in enclosed public spaces is also prohibited. Jennie's agency has not clarified the location of the video. Despite this, one angry South Korean has demanded an investigation from their country's embassy in Italy and Seoul's ministry of foreign affairs. Jennie is not the first South Korean celebrity to face backlash over smoking. Doh Kyung-soo, a vocalist for the popular K-pop boy band EXO, and Haechan, a singer in the band NCT, also faced criticism and were fined for smoking indoors. They both issued public apologies. Jennie's international fans have been more forgiving. A top comment under her most recent Instagram post encouraged her not to listen to the critics and assured her of their support. Another fan expressed their continued love for Jennie and mentioned that everyone makes mistakes and learns from them. Blackpink, formed in 2016, is the world's biggest K-pop girl group. The four members - Jisoo, Lisa, Jennie, and Rosé - have each become celebrities in their own right.