• By Piyali Bhadra
  • Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:28 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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K-Pop group BLACKPINK sparked outrage in Vietnam and was asked not to promote or organize their concert in the country after maps displaying China's controversial nine-dash were used in the promotional material for the event.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling's 'Barbie' also faced the same wrath and was banned to promote their film in the country. The nine-dash line is a map used by China to showcase its sovereignty over the South China Sea. However, seven countries including Vietnam disagree with the marked boundary according to China.

 
 
 
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The promotion of the 'Barbie' film was also banned in Vietnam because it was revealed that the film contains a scene with the nine-dash line. The film is scheduled to release on July 21, but due to the prohibition, 'Barbie' won't be allowed to have its screening in the nation.

On the other hand, the BLACKPINK concert was slated for October 23 in Hanoi which also sparked controversy. The organizer of the event iME is a company based out of Beijing, China, and their website also includes the nine-dash line.

The social media users in the country are calling for a boycott motion for the performance and iME has also apologized for the map, but the decision of the government of Vietnam did not change. The incident has now raised questions about China's territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The investigation into the map incident has been started by the Ministry of Culture and Information in Vietnam, looking out for the seriousness of the issue. The controversies of the release of 'Barbie' and the BLACKPINK concert have also started a debate on the internet about the breach of Vietnamese laws and that the matter needs to be considered as it is an honor of national sovereignty.

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Sincere concerns remain about the promotion and use of products or publications which contain the nine-dash line in Vietnam. According to a report in Hindustan Times, during a normal news briefing session on Thursday, Phan Thu Hang, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam admitted that BLACKPINK's Vietnam event has now become a 'hot button issue.'

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BLACKPINK is an all-girls K-Pop group and includes Lisa, Jisoo, Rose, and Jennie.