ELLE UK Issues Apology for Cropping Out BLACKPINK Rosé, Sparking Stronger Backlash

BLACKPINK Rosé is facing backlash after ELLE UK cropped her out of a Paris Fashion Week photo.

The controversy began when ELLE UK posted a group shot from the Yves Saint Laurent show that excluded Rosé. Fans worldwide called out the magazine for racism.

Soon after, ELLE UK deleted the post and replaced it with a solo photo of Rosé.

BLACKPINK’s Rosé | @roses_are_rosie/Instagram

ELLE UK apologized via Instagram Stories, saying the cropping was “for size” and not meant to offend anyone. They promised to “represent the full spectrum of [their] audience” going forward.

ELLE UK apology

The apology only made things worse.

Fans slammed ELLE for being “half-a*sed” and “still racist.” Many called the apology dismissive and shady.

“Saying that they ‘didn’t mean to offend anyone’ is such BS… Seriously, the intention was crystal clear.”
K-pop fan

“This half-ased apology feels even more offensive. Fck you, ELLE.”
Netizen

“Whoa… That last part got me fcked up? It reads like, ‘We’re sorry we didn’t post the Asian you wanted to see,’ and not ‘We’re sorry for being racist.’ LMAO. What the hell?”
Commenter*

Korean fans in particular reacted strongly to ELLE’s claim of wanting to represent the “full spectrum of [their] audience.”

“Um… I’m taken aback by this apology because it is dismissing the people who raised issues as overly dramatic marginal voices falling outside the ‘spectrum of their audience.’”
Korean netizen

“These pathetic people… So shady. Such racists.”
User

“Honestly, it’s probably only because Rosé is popular that they even apologized—like, otherwise do we really think they would’ve done anything?”
Fan