What happened to Stray Kids at the Met Gala?

The most awaited fashion night of the year has come and gone, with the usual suspects topping everyone’s favorite lists — yes, we’re talking about Zendaya. At the same time, the MET Gala featured more K-Pop attendees than ever before — with Stray Kids comprising 8/9ths of this shortlist.

Unfortunately, their attendance was met with a lackluster response from fashion fans who were understandably critical of anyone who refused to adhere to this year’s MET Gala theme — “Garden of Time.” Aside from the boys following their own theme — and looking absolutely handsome regardless — there was an unfortunate moment that sadly followed their Met Gala debut, and here’s what happened.

What happened at the Met Gala with Stray Kids?

While Stray Kids’ Met Gala debut received mixed responses, the K-Pop boy group was subjected to several rude and blatantly xenophobic remarks by the paparazzi on the scene. As the members walked down the red carpet, a video captured by one of the photographers revealed several inappropriate comments made by many of the paparazzi photographing celebrities.

Comments such as “They’re robots” and “I’ve never seen so many unemotional faces in my life” were heard throughout the shocking video. The photographers not only criticized Stray Kids’ poses — which were essentially mirroring the low-key attitudes of many male attendees — but also questioned their ability to understand English, despite two of the members being Australian-born.

In the video, you can also faintly hear several attempts from photographers to speak in Korean, saying things like “annyeonghaseyo,” which means “hello,” as if the members wouldn’t understand English. Moreover, someone says, “I don’t know if you get it,” after instructing them on how to pose. Unfortunately, this is the type of treatment South Korean celebrities are accustomed to facing in the West, and while the members did not react to such impertinent remarks, they surely heard them.

Over the years, several K-pop idols have spoken about mistreatment while attending events in the West. Notably, BTS has been outspoken about facing racist and xenophobic comments while attending red carpets, leading them to become increasingly apprehensive about visiting the country for public events. “Since we’re aliens to the music industry in America, we don’t know if there’s a place for us or not,” the band said in a 2020 interview with Reuters.

Sadly, as South Korean idols participate in more public events in the U.S., they increasingly become targets for infantilization, racism, and xenophobic comments. With Stray Kids leading the Fourth Generation movement in K-Pop, they are undeniably the ones in the public eye and the easiest targets for criticism. Hopefully, those responsible for these comments will be held accountable for their words.