BLACKPINK’s White House Performance Cancelled After First Lady’s Alleged Dislike for ‘Young Women’

In 2023, BLACKPINK and Lady Gaga were slated to perform at the White House; however, the anticipated event ultimately did not materialize. Initially, the reasons for the cancellation remained undisclosed, but recent assertions have surfaced indicating that former First Lady of South Korea, Kim Keon Hee, may have played a pivotal role due to her reported discomfort around “young women.”

The Performance That Never Was

The planned performance coincided with former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s state visit to the United States in April 2023. First Lady Jill Biden had proposed this collaboration, envisioning a show at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Despite the high-profile nature of this event, it was ultimately scrapped.

The Controversy Unfolds

The issue gained traction after lawmakers Park Ji Won and Park Sun Won, affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea and former members of the National Intelligence Service, alleged that Kim Keon Hee directly canceled the performance due to her aversion to younger women. These claims rapidly circulated on social media, generating substantial backlash against the former First Lady.

here, this man talks about how in 2023, before Yoon Suk-yeol’s state visit, Jill Biden suggested a Lady Gaga x BLACKPINK performance multiple times but Kim Keon-hee (First Lady of Korea) allegedly rejected it because she dislikes being around younger womenpic.twitter.com/NSdx3GPV57

— ☘︎ (@lalisasproperty) February 14, 2025

Online reactions to these claims have been mixed. One user remarked, “Women be women’s own biggest opps sometimes, ”while another expressed concern, stating, “If it’s true, then it’s so creepy.”

Official Responses to the Allegations

In light of the viral discussions, several former and present presidential officials stepped forward to refute the allegations. They clarified that the cancellation of the performance was primarily due to financial constraints rather than any supposed reluctance from Kim. Reports indicated that BLACKPINK had willingly agreed to perform without an additional guarantee fee, but the associated costs, including staff recruitment, event preparations, and Lady Gaga’s participation, were deemed unsustainable for both the American and South Korean governments.

Political Implications and Internal Strife

The controversy also shed light on underlying tensions within the South Korean government at that time. President Yoon Suk-yeol reportedly took issue with officials from the National Security Office for failing to relay the proposal from the U. S., which resulted in some foreign affairs officials, including former National Security Advisor Kim Sung Han, resigning.

Additionally, the opposition party hinted at possible political motivations behind the resurfacing of this incident, suggesting an attempt to discredit Kim Keon Hee by revisiting the 2023 BLACKPINK performance debacle.

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