IVE member Jang Won-young (장원영) has once again become a trending topic online following a video from a recent event. As a brand ambassador for Italian luxury brand Bulgari, Jang attended an event where she was photographed with brand executives. Her reactions to different individuals' greeting styles varied: she shared an affectionate cheek-to-cheek greeting with a female CEO, but when a male executive approached for a similar greeting, she smiled and subtly recoiled, leaving him visibly awkward. After the footage went viral on social media, netizens were divided, with some criticizing her for lacking proper event etiquette and others defending her right to refuse uncomfortable physical contact.
The incident occurred at a Bulgari exhibition event on October 28. Jang, invited as a brand ambassador, participated in a photo session with executives, including CEO Laura Burdese. Before the official group photo, Jang greeted CEO Burdese with a common European cheek-to-cheek kiss, and their interaction appeared natural. However, when she then faced Vincenzo Puija, the Executive Vice President of Global Sales & Retail, she quickly pulled her face back as he approached for a cheek kiss. Although she maintained a smile throughout, the male executive seemed momentarily caught off guard, creating a slightly awkward scene.
After this brief interaction was released, it quickly sparked discussion on social media. Some netizens argued that since Jang was attending an Italian brand event, she should respect local social customs. They criticized her reaction as inappropriate, with some stating, "She's at an Italian brand event, why isn't she following local customs?" "This is truly embarrassing," and "Bulgari should fire her."
However, a large number of netizens also came to Jang's defense, asserting that she has the right to decide whether to accept physical contact and should not be forced to comply with unfamiliar greeting methods just because the person is a brand executive. Some pointed out that in the past, when other celebrities encountered male executives putting their arms around their waists or touching their bodies, netizens emphasized respecting the artists' physical boundaries. Now, Jang merely stepped back slightly and is being criticized, which they called a double standard.
Furthermore, fans stated that Jang has often been perceived as maintaining an appropriate distance when interacting with men in the past, and her reaction this time was simply a natural expression of her boundaries, which should not be overly scrutinized. Especially with recent revelations of executives from other luxury brands touching actress Kim Yoo-jung's (김유정) chest or embracing her waist at events, sparking discussions about female artists' physical boundaries, many believe Jang's actions should not be a reason for public condemnation.
In fact, Kim Yoo-jung recently traveled to Hong Kong to attend an event for Italian luxury brand Brunello Cucinelli. What was supposed to be a star-studded fashion occasion unexpectedly shifted focus among Chinese netizens after the event, who questioned the physical contact between the brand's founder and Kim, alleging that he repeatedly touched the actress's body. The related footage sparked controversy over inappropriate touching.
Online videos from the event show Brunello Cucinelli, the 73-year-old founder of the brand, repeatedly putting his arm around Kim's back and waist, and even at one point bringing his hand close to her chest during their photo session. Faced with continuous physical contact, Kim appeared to try to subtly shift away but found it difficult to completely avoid, with her body looking stiff and tense to netizens. Despite being touched multiple times throughout, she maintained a smile and completed the photo shoot, even waving kindly to the cameras at the end. After the video was released, many netizens felt even more sympathy for her, seeing her maintain a smile throughout.
As the videos continue to circulate online, Jang's reaction to the male executive has also ignited a two-sided debate. One side believes she should respect the cultural context of the event, while the other argues that bodily autonomy should not be compromised due to the event setting or the other person's status. The controversy continues to rage on social media.
