Fans of aespa are furious over offensive comments posted on Ningning’s Instagram account.
On May 17, the idol updated her Instagram feed with a cat meme, apologizing to fans for forgetting to click a picture of herself during a music show schedule.
Initially, the comments under the post were wholesome, with fans either appreciating the meme game or treating the cat picture like Ningning’s photo. One specific comment from a fan, however, swiftly changed the mood. The fan in question responded to Ningning’s caption, saying, “It’s okay, Lingling.”
The idol expressed her displeasure with the comment by responding directly to it, though she kept it laxed. But her response only made things worse as more and more fans started misspelling her name under the same comment, expecting a reply. Ningning did respond to multiple of those comments, almost as if softly asking fans to respect the boundaries.
Fans have taken issue with those comments because terms like “Lingling” or “Ringring” are often treated as coded slur words against East Asians in general. Additionally, Ningning had previously talked about being sensitive about misspelling or mispronunciation of her name, a repeated mistake that even multiple Korean reporters are guilty of.
Ningning has already made it clear she doesn’t like her name being said incorrectly, it’s a matter of basic respect, I can’t even believe this needs to be said. pic.twitter.com/ZvRyknCzyw
— Certified vocal coach (@yjmning) May 17, 2024
while ningning may sometimes make lighthearted jokes about the mispronouncing and misspelling of her name, she has also been reminding people to pronounce and spell her name correctly several times now
— #77 (@ningningskr) May 17, 2024
Though her responses were mild, Ningning seemed to have implied her distaste for this “joke” through another comment under the same picture.
While many of those fans who left such comments on her picture might have taken it only as a joke, since the singer herself has sometimes poked fun at her name, MYs (aespa’s fanbase), felt deeply skeptical that fans wouldn’t know such a derogatory word and how it is weaponized against Chinese people overseas.
it’s clear that it bothers ningning enough to respond, but y’all continue with this unfunny “joke” pic.twitter.com/q77UhyAtwD
— roxie (@holyizhuo) May 17, 2024
idk why mys are laughing at ningning’s name being mocked..ningning doesn’t have to show outrage anger to prove that she’s clearly upset and uncomfortable with the fact that fans are calling her ‘lingling’ and ‘ringring’ .. do you guys know that these are racist terms to call… pic.twitter.com/BLQjO6nCTv
— melody ୨୧ (@minjiskiss) May 17, 2024
kpop stans and their inability to treat chinese idols normally this is just blatant sinophobia https://t.co/Zm4GpRf5ZW
— ✩ ✩ ✩ (@DICKDOH) May 17, 2024
yall are fucking crazy for doing this to her when yall know damn that she’s chinese and the whole “lingling” thing is very much used as a form to be racists towards chinese people. it’s not just about “it bothers her” you’re being racist you fucking donkey. https://t.co/Ra7VSRJNFj
— lani | 🍉 (@dazaispirit) May 17, 2024
kpop stans really are the most racist group of people towards asians like wow https://t.co/8htEpbQA7p
— ًًً (@hyostan) May 17, 2024
now i dont go here but justifying this corny joke by saying “shes not that mad about it” i mean she cant really tell her fans to go fuck themselves without her career taking critical damage https://t.co/7HokgNz3AE
— yoongi military wife (@coupsuga) May 17, 2024
