International K-pop star Lisa Manobal has come under fire from some Chinese fans on social media after it was announced the Blackpink singer would dance at the Crazy Horse cabaret club in Paris.
So what’s all the furore about?
What is Crazy Horse?
The venue is renowned for its cabaret performances often performed by nude dancers.
It has hosted performers from Beyoncé – her Partition music video was partially filmed there – to former Baywatch star and Playboy model Pamela Anderson.
“Come and discover Lisa transformed into a ‘Crazy Girl,’ performing original Crazy Horse Paris acts, including the classics ‘But I am a Good Girl’ and ‘Crisis? What Crisis!?’,” the venue’s website read.
A spokesperson from Crazy Horse Paris said the negative reaction from some on social media was “sad and shocking”.
They described the venue as one of the most “elegant and creative cabaret in the world” and said their dancers were classically trained ballerinas.
“In short Crazy Horse Paris is anything but sleazy,” they said.
They said it was highly regarded in artistic and fashion circles, and often collaborated with internationally acclaimed choreographers, photographers and designers, including Christian Louboutin, Dita Von Teese and David Lynch.
But they added the name “Crazy Horse” was also used by “various unrefined strip clubs” in Asia, the US and in Australia.
“Unfortunately we don’t own the trademark in those countries and this can create confusion,” they said.
What is the backlash against Blackpink’s Lisa?
Lisa, a Thai national and member of the hugely popular South Korean girl group, has been subjected to a flurry of online hate since the news broke of her now sold-out late September shows.
The topic #LisaCrazyHorseShow generated more than 12 million clicks on Weibo — often likened to China’s version of Twitter, now X.
It has also been a trending topic on WeChat over the weekend, her official Instagram account has been bombarded, and one of her leading fan supporters closed their Weibo account.
Lisa is popular in China, having taken on a mentoring role in the Chinese reality talent show Youth With You.
Many of those critical of her decision to perform at Crazy Horse appeared to believe the venue was a strip club, which is illegal in China.
“Her agreement with the club kind of makes her someone who’s happy to [trade] her body for reputational gain [in the eyes of some Chinese critics],” Fan Yang, a researcher at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Automated Decision-Making and Society, told the ABC.
“It can be associated with a long history of criminalisation of sex workers in China and being a dancer, or known as a stripper, [is seen as] something to be ashamed of.
What are her critics saying?
“To make it sound better it’s Crazy Horse, but it’s actually just crazy whores,” one Weibo user wrote.
Another said: “So your idol is nothing more than capitalists’ plaything.”
“Women need rights, but not to perform that kind of dance to get their rights,” another wrote.
In English, one Instagram user posted on Lisa’s official account: “Most of your fans are underage girls, so what do they think? When I saw the news, I was disappointed.”
But many others came to her defence.
What are Lisa’s fans saying about her?
Some vowed to “always support” her, while others described the backlash from some Chinese fans as “pathetic”.
“They talk about women’s rights, but they don’t realise that they’re already looking at things through the tinted glasses of the male gaze, so all they see is nasty and dirty stuff,” one wrote.
“Don’t worry about what others think, I always believe in you. You’ll always be the best, sweetest, best-behaved, most handsome little princess in my heart,” another said.
During an interview in Thailand this year, Lisa reportedly said she wears a bikini at the beach but often didn’t post photos.
“I’m shy and I think my mother would scold me,” she was quoted as saying.
The ABC has contacted Crazy Horse for comment and attempted to reach to YG Entertainment, which manages Blackpink.
Blackpink made history earlier this year as the first K-pop act to headline Coachella.
The band has been in the news recently for geopolitical reasons, after its concert organiser’s website featured the controversial nine-dash line – which Beijing uses to mark its territorial claim on the South China Sea — angering fans in Vietnam.
K-pop’s popularity has exploded globally in recent years, but the industry has been plagued by tragic suicides and marred by reports of intense training regimens, restricting personal lives of performers and the immense pressure of public exposure.
