So here’s a story that shows just how fast things can go from journalism to full-blown war: a Billboard journalist tried to explore why some people still label Jennie “lazy,” and it backfired instantly.
The journalist, Leela Rosa, was filming a segment asking fans to share their opinions on that very topic. But instead of getting the casual street interview content she expected, she found herself the subject of massive backlash. After briefly posting her own confusion on social media—asking why Jennie still gets called “lazy” when Billboard has praised her in the past—her account was flooded. Thousands of angry fans came for her, and she says she even received death threats.
In short: the internet did what the internet does.
Some fans argued her question was inappropriate from the start, especially coming from someone representing a Western media outlet with little knowledge of how long this label has haunted Jennie. Others defended the journalist, saying she never made the accusation herself—she simply brought up a common fan discussion.
Still, many saw it as careless. If you walk into a fandom with that kind of question and don’t come armed with context, don’t be surprised when people respond with fire.
Unfortunately, it all escalated quickly from criticism to full-on harassment—which is never okay, no matter the reason.
The bigger issue here isn’t about one comment or one idol. It’s about how global media still struggles to understand K-pop fandoms—and how K-pop fandoms often jump straight to defense mode without pausing to assess the tone or intent. Somewhere between those two extremes is the actual conversation we could be having… if it weren’t buried under a pile of Twitter threads and blocked accounts.
Bottom line? Asking questions is fine. So is defending your favorite. But context matters, sensitivity matters, and nobody deserves threats over a street interview prompt.
