“Without Jisoo, is everyone acting? … The power of ‘80 million’ that covered the ‘bad acting’ controversy”

Blackpink member Jisoo (Kim Jisoo) received an award in Cannes, France, without having resolved the controversy over her acting skills, and public opinion was divided over it.

On the 23rd (local time), Jisoo received the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award at the opening ceremony of the 9th Cannes International Series Festival held in Cannes, France.

The organizers said she was the first Asian actor-artist to receive the award. Jisoo, who went on stage wearing a pink dress, expressed her acceptance speech in French, saying, “Merci beaucoup” (“Thank you”).

The Cannes Series organizers introduced Jisoo as “a pop icon with more than 80 million followers and a member of the world-famous K-pop group Blackpink, now emerging as a rising actor.” Artistic director Albin Lewi explained the reason for her selection as “her artistic journey, her ability to pioneer new creative realms, and her global aura.”

The news of the award drew mixed reactions in South Korea. This is because after Jisoo played her first lead role in the JTBC drama “Snowdrop,” criticism about her pronunciation and emotional expression was repeated with each of her subsequent works, from Coupang Play’s “Newtopia,” the film “Omniscient Reader,” to the Netflix drama “Monthly Boyfriend.” Some critics continued to say, “It is an award received while the controversy over her acting skills has not been resolved.”

The selection criteria for the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award are known to be “international influence, screen presence, and sustained artistic growth.”

Past winners include Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton), Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria), Morfydd Clark (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Ella Purnell (Fallout), and Marie Colomb (The Cult). For that reason, some also reacted, “Wasn’t everyone except Jisoo awarded for their acting skills?”

However, it should be noted that the award criteria are not “an award for outstanding acting.” The first line in the organizers’ introduction of Jisoo was not as an actor but as a “K-pop icon.” In effect, they themselves revealed that her global influence was the key basis for her selection. Sydney Sweeney also faced criticism at the time of her award that her buzz and popularity came before her acting ability.

Despite harsh criticism in South Korea, “Monthly Boyfriend” ranked No. 4 in its first week and reached No. 1 at its peak in Netflix’s global Top 10 non-English series chart. Voices have also emerged saying that Canneseries should be viewed separately, as it is a festival specializing in TV series and is unrelated to the Cannes Film Festival.

Lee Seon-myeong, reporter [email protected]