BLACKPINK Gets Criticized By Chinese Netizens For Interacting With Pandas
During the Nov. 3, 2020 preview of the show, the girls of BLACKPINK can be seen visiting Everland, an amusement park in Seoul, South Korea, to meet baby pandas. In the video clip posted, the idols can be seen taking care of the pandas while supervised by zookeepers.
While the interaction was seen as cute with Korean netizens and international viewers, Chinese netizens were not as impressed. Many accused the girl of ????????? touching the baby pandas without any mask or gloves. Others claimed that it was ????????????? for the members to care and come into contact with the baby pandas while they are wearing make-up.
Other Chinese netizens pointed out that some baby pandas ??? due to the ?????? ????????? ?????, which is transferrable through dogs. As all of the BLACKPINK members live with dogs, Chinese netizens called out BLACKPINK for potentially transferring the said ????? to them.
It is also noted that it is illegal for any non-professional to come into contact with pandas. According to laws on panda diplomacy, any pandas in foreign countries are technically on loan from China, meaning they should be prioritizing Chinese regulations.
Pandas are considered China's national treasures, so this has understandably sparked ??????? in the country. News media outlets even shared articles onto their Weibo account, calling out BLACKPINK to come into contact with pandas ????????? and potentially cause them harm.
Read netizens comments here:
"State laws prohibit any non-professional from coming into contact with pandas. In 2015, so many pandas ???? because of the ?????? ????????? ?????. Isn't that supposed to be a lesson learned? Are pandas born in South Korea not belonging to China? Can they ignore Chinese regulations? Not to mention, these girls have pets at their home. These pets can be the source of the ?????? ????????? ?????. These helpless creatures have been borrowed are being forced into labor, helping this girl group's marketing."
"Here's a fact: Except for zookeepers and veterinarians, people who come into close contact with giant pandas could potentially make them sick. The makeup used by Korean artists can also ???????? the pandas. And if they have pets at home and still come into contact with pandas, they might cause the pandas to suffer and even ??? ???? ??? ?????? ????????? ?????. So, if you really love pandas, please watch them from afar and do not get close to them. In the past, some domestic organizations also ???????? these laws. Now, however, there are relevant guidelines that have prohibited these practices."
Chinese netizens are demanding that BLACKPINK apologize, but the South Korean government and the Everland amusement park as well. They demand all three parties to apologize for potentially ???????? ??? ??????? ???? to the pandas.