IVE member Jang Won-young has addressed the controversy surrounding a video that appeared to show her avoiding a cheek-to-cheek greeting with a male executive at an exhibition event hosted by luxury jewelry brand Bulgari.
On Nov. 4, Jang explained through a paid fan messaging app, "I was so busy with the photo call at the Bulgari event that I missed greeting one person with a cheek kiss."
She continued, "I guess people could misunderstand that. We were all greeting each other with excited shouts before the event even started. We're practically like family, so of course I simply didn't see him."
She added, "Surely no one actually thinks I deliberately didn't greet him. I'd find that really surprising."
Previously, Jang was embroiled in controversy over a video from the photo call at the Bvlgari event held in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul on Sept. 28.
In the footage, Jang greeted Laura Burdese, Bulgari's female CEO, by touching cheeks. Vincenzo Puglia, the brand's global vice president of sales and retail, then approached Jang, but the two did not exchange the same cheek-to-cheek greeting.
The video spread across online communities and social media. Some users criticized Jang, saying she had returned the female executive's greeting but not the male executive's, and arguing that her behavior was inappropriate at a business event.
in ENTERTAINMENT
