Lisa's Lunar New Year greetings have sparked a heated debate on social media, with some viewers accusing her of cultural insensitivity and others claiming she was pandering to Chinese fans.
On January 27, during a livestream, Lisa sent her New Year greetings to Chinese fans. After a staff member reminded her of the proper term "Lunar New Year," Lisa said, "Happy Lunar New Year," followed by "Happy Chinese Lunar New Year."
Her message quickly trended on Weibo, where many Chinese netizens praised Lisa for showing respect to their culture. However, this sparked anger among others who criticized her for using both "Chinese" and "Lunar" in her greeting, arguing that Lunar New Year is a holiday celebrated by many countries, including Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, and others—not just China.
Some people speculated that Lisa's message was an attempt to win back favor with Chinese fans, particularly after the backlash she received over a controversial incident at the Crazy Horse nightclub in Paris. Lisa was the only member of BlackPink who had been active in the Chinese market but had seen a decline in visibility after the incident.
This controversy echoes a similar situation in 2023, when Danielle from the girl group NewJeans apologized after calling Lunar New Year "Chinese New Year." Danielle realized her mistake and immediately deleted the post, but it had already been shared widely. In her apology, she acknowledged that calling it "Chinese New Year" was inappropriate, as Lunar New Year is a major holiday in many countries, including Korea. She expressed regret for causing pain or disappointment and pledged to be more careful in the future.
The controversy stems from the fact that "Happy Lunar New Year" is a more inclusive and neutral greeting. Lunar New Year is not only a Chinese holiday, but also an important celebration in countries such as ) Korea (Seollal), Mongolia (Tsagaan Sar), Vietnam (Tet) and Singapore. Using the term "Lunar New Year" avoids associating the holiday solely with Chinese culture, acknowledging the unique traditions, customs, and histories of various countries that celebrate it.
From a cultural identity perspective, many Vietnamese, Koreans, and other groups want to ensure that their own Lunar New Year traditions are not overshadowed by the term "Chinese Lunar New Year." They view the holiday as an integral part of their national identity, separate from Chinese influence.
The confusion often arises because the lunar calendar has been strongly associated with China, leading to the misconception that Lunar New Year is only related to Chinese culture. To avoid such misunderstandings, many public figures opt for the more neutral "Happy Lunar New Year," a term that encompasses all cultures that celebrate the holiday.
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