K-pop stars at 2023 Cannes Film Festival
Idols aplenty were spotted and snapped in France at one of the movie and television industry's most prestigious events.
As more and more Korean pop idols dip their toes into the acting and fashion worlds, a variety of stars attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival between 16th and 27th May. These artists follow previous appearances from icons like IU and BoA, whether as actors or as growing global stars.
The Festival has taken place annually since 1946, only pausing a handful of times across the years. The event celebrates, showcases, and teases a mixture of upcoming films and TV shows to an audience of critics and celebs. These are some of the most talked-about idols spotted!
Jennie and Rosé — BLACKPINK
Both Jennie and Rosé stunned in Cannes. Images: Entertainment Today and MTV.
BLACKPINK's Jennie has been making a name for herself in the States thanks to her role in the upcoming HBO series The Idol, starring The Weeknd and Lily Rose-Depp. Under her acting stage name of Jennie Ruby Jane, Jennie is proving that BLACKPINK are truly worldwide sensations with buckets of talent to show off.
Despite some controversies surrounding the show itself, BLINKs, K-pop fans, and TV watchers are anticipating Jennie's on-screen debut, and were delighted to see her on the red carpet, looking glamorous in a classic style, off-the-shoulder dress from Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection.
Jennie’s BLACKPINK co-member Rosé also turned heads during her elegant stint on the red carpet as a global ambassador for the Saint Laurent fashion house. The Australian-born singer celebrated the premiere of the Saint Laurent produced short film Strange Way of Life (2023) — starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke — as well as the Japanese drama, Monster (2023).
Krystal Jung
As part of the Cobweb (2023) movie cast, soloist and former-f(x) member Krystal Jung looked stunning at Thursday's event. Jung oozed simple Hollywood glam in a delicate pink silk piece from the Ralph Lauren Spring/Summer 2012 collection, and posed alongside her acting co-star Jeon Yeo-been. Cobweb, a comedy-drama, also stars Parasite (2019) and A Taxi Driver (2017) actor Song Kang-ho, and is already being heralded as “delightfully silly” and “endlessly amusing”.
BIBI
RnB artist BIBI is making her acting debut with the movie Hopeless, starring Song Joong-ki (Vincenzo, Descendants of the Sun). The film premiered at the Cannes Festival, and BIBI was instantly snapped by the cameras thanks to her glowing look. Dressed in a backless black gown and sporting a stylish, twisted updo, the “Animal Farm” singer was sure to make an impression.
Aespa
As brand ambassadors for Chopard jewellery, the girl group aespa made the history books as the first K-pop group to be invited to the Cannes Film Festival. The members — Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning — delighted fans in their monochromatic looks, aptly decked out in luxurious decorative jewellery from Chopard. A true picture of opulence, the girls showcased Red Carpet Collection pieces such as a necklace with 65.24 carat diamonds and a 123.24 carat rubellite, as seen on leader Karina.
À la mode in Cannes
Cannes was also the site of a handful of high-profile fashion events recently. Stray Kids’ Hyunjin was in the French city for the debut of La Vacanza, the showcase of a collaborative collection between Dua Lipa and Donatella Versace. In a stylishly breezy co-ord, the all-rounder was snapped alongside Troye Sivan and Manu Ríos.
At the CELINE Cannes 2023 Dinner event (followed by supermodel Naomi Campbell’s birthday party) BTS’s V and BLACKPINK’s Lisa were photographed as brand ambassadors. The former rocked a black collarless jacket and trouser ensemble, whilst the latter wore a sequined pinstripe suit, both from the Fall/Winter 2023 collections.
Which was your favourite look from Cannes? Tell us in the comments below.
Edited by Chelsea Cheetham.