Actress Lee Seyoung deleted her Instagram update after facing criticism for posting photos of Hong Kong's night view on a day marked by reports of multiple deaths, renewing debate about the social awareness and online responsibility of public figures.
The now-deleted post featured a caption in which the actress openly described her moment: "Stomach is growling before wearing a dress... Hong Kong's night view was beautiful." According to reports, the images were shot weeks ago during a Disney promotional event.
According to Panchoa, online communities quickly commented on the timing of the update, noting how it coincided with news of more than 48 deaths in Hong Kong that day.
The platform said Seyoung "got slammed, and took them down," underscoring that the removal happened not long after people started criticizing them.
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Users of the Korean online forum Instiz felt this was insensitive, and one commenter wrote, "Do celebrities not read the news? I've never seen a celebrity post photos taken there on the very day someone dd."**
Another user questioned the perceived oversight. She said, "She's so thoughtless." Others questioned her awareness of world events and choosing to post at such a sensitive time.
Some focused on her age and experience, one commenter wrote, "She's born in 1992 and is turning 35 in a month, wow... does she not read the news?" while another questioned the reasoning for the timing: "How beautiful was it that you had to post it on the day people dd?."
Some netizens showed mixed responses at Instiz, with the minority calling for leniency, saying - according to one commenter-"She deleted it right away. Leave her alone." Others argued that responsibility remained and wasn't mitigated by how fast she pulled the post.
Panchoa further emphasized remarks reproaching the actress and also her management. "One user commented, "Do her staffs not talk to her?"
The incident has led to questions of whether public figures have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with global catastrophes before posting travel-related content. As debate continues on platforms like Instiz and Panchoa, the event underlines ongoing tensions between celebrity image-making and public expectations.
