Irene is facing backlash over her airport facial expressions after returning to Korea from Shanghai.
A post on Korean forum Pann claimed Irene looked “fierce” and cold at Incheon Airport. The post went viral with over 140,000 views but faced heavy criticism and hundreds of downvotes.
The original post said:
Look at how fierce Irene’s face looks.
Fans and netizens quickly defended Irene, pointing out that her neutral or serious look was blown out of proportion. Many noted she’s known for a “cold beauty” vibe, which can be misunderstood when she’s not smiling.
Irene had just finished a successful Shanghai fan signing event with Red Velvet’s Seulgi as part of their subunit promotions. Reporters captured photos of Irene with a reserved expression, but other images from the same day show her smiling, laughing, and warmly interacting with fans and media.
Netizens pushed back against the harsh critique:
“She looks bright, though.”
“The kind of people who nitpick celebrities’ facial expressions like this are usually the ones who walk around with resting bitch face themselves and get called out for it all the time.”
“Irene’s always had that ‘cold beauty’ vibe, so when she’s expressionless, she can come off super icy. That’s why she got witch-hunted so hard over her facial expressions lol. But the photo OP uploaded is from an article, and she looks stunning.”
“Using the word ‘fierce’ like that… seriously, your choice of words is so messed up.”
“She’s seriously so freaking pretty, wow…”
Critics were reminded that celebrities aren’t expected to be cheerful at every moment, especially during hectic travel. Irene’s visuals and demeanor are part of her trademark style, and many fans defended her against what they called unfair scrutiny.
The debate continues as Irene remains in the public eye promoting with Seulgi.
