Fans of K-pop band Stray Kids say they were shocked by the treatment their idols received at the hands of New York paparazzi on the red carpet during the Met Gala Ball on Monday.
A video clip that has been widely shared on social media appears to show photographers making negative comments within earshot of the pop stars as they posed at the fashion show.
Speaking of the eight-member boy band from Seoul, one photographer is heard saying: “I’ve never seen so many impassive faces in my life” before another calls the South Korean group “robots.”
Furious fans of the K-Pop band, which consists of members. Changbin, Hyunjin, Bang Chan, Lee Know, Felix, Seungmin and IN and Han took to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize the photographers who made the comments, calling them “unprofessional.”
South Korean band Stray Kids made their red carpet debut at the Met Gala Ball, but a video revealed negative comments made by photographers about the K-Pop stars.
The footage, which lasts just over a minute, shows the boyband arriving on the red carpet at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art as the iconic fashion event begins.
The stylish octet is then seen posing, several meters away from each other, before turning their backs on the paparazzi momentarily to take off their coats.
The South Korean stars then turn to the assembled cameras once again to reveal their coordinated outfits for the fashion show.
However, his ice-cold demeanor did not go down well with the crowd of waiting photographers.
A photographer called the young stars “insensitive”, while a female voice was heard calling them “robots”.
The eight-member band consists of Changbin, Hyunjin, Bang Chan, Lee Know, Felix, Seungmin, and IN and Han, photographed posing together at the Met Gala Ball on May 6.
While listening to one politely shout the South Korean word that means “thank you”… gam-sa-ham-ni-da – many of the other comments captured in the images were described as “harassing” and “rude” by fans.
A photographer is heard saying in a tone full of sarcasm: ‘Alright guys, tone it down! Tone it down!’ him as he tries to prompt them to be more expressive.
Then he continues: ‘What the fuck? I have never seen so many impassive faces in my life!’
A woman’s voice is then heard saying: ‘They are robots’, to which the same male voice responds: ‘Yes, of course.’
A groan is heard as the boys take off their black coats and the same photographer shouts: “Now we have to do it again.” Now let’s do it with feeling!’
Lee Know, left, and Hyunjin, right, of Stray Kids pose on the red carpet; The band faced comments from photographers including ‘Now, do it with feeling’ and ‘Go crazy’ while posing
The band were all smiles as they arrived before a carefully orchestrated red carpet routine saw them pose several meters away from each other before removing their coats to reveal their outfits.
Another shouts: ‘Go crazy! Everyone jumps!’
Then a voice is heard saying: ‘Look how far away they are. I hate them.
Finally, Stray Kids turns around and heads up the stairs to the venue.
Moments after leaving the red carpet, two photographers are captured suggesting people will assume they were ‘two K-Pop bands’ because they were photographed with their jackets on and off, sparking outrage from the band’s fans .
Many have been angered by the band’s treatment in the clip, calling it “scandalous” and “racist.”
One wrote: “This is so unprofessional and disgusting.”
Another added: ‘Every video I see, the angrier it makes me. The racism, the lack of professionalism, who hired them??? I hope they get fired.
“And their job is to take PHOTOS so as not to be disrespectful to celebrities.”
Moments after the band leaves the red carpet, two photographers are heard in the clip suggesting that people will assume there were ‘two K-Pop bands’, because Stray Kids were photographed with their jackets on and off, which which sparked outrage from K-Pop fans.
The band arrived in long black coats before taking them off on the red carpet.
One American who saw the video wrote: “Welcome to the American paparazzi.” It sucks, we know. Ask Britney Spears.
Others called for action, saying, “There have to be consequences.” “They were racist and just harassed the kids.”
Last month in London at the Olivier Awards, the show’s host, Hannah Waddingham, called out a photographer on the red carpet after being asked to “show a leg.”
Video shared by a fan on
The band seemed taken aback by some of the comments but did not respond to the photographer’s taunts.
The photographer’s comments are inaudible, but Hannah is seen shouting to the crowd of photographers: “My God, you would never say that to a man, my friend.”
As fans applauded her, she threatened to leave if the comments continued saying, “Don’t say ‘show me your leg.'” No.’
The star later revealed on The One Show that the photographer had apologized to her.
