On April 23 (local time), Jisoo attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Cannes International Series Festival in France, where she was honored with the Madame Figaro Rising Star Award. She became the first Asian actor and artist to receive the accolade.
Dressed in a pink gown, Jisoo took the stage and briefly expressed her gratitude in French, saying, “Merci beaucoup.”
The festival organizers introduced her as “a pop icon with over 80 million followers and a member of global K-pop group BLACKPINK, now emerging as a notable actress.” Artistic director Albin Lewi cited her “artistic journey, ability to explore new creative fields, and global aura” as reasons for her selection.
However, the news quickly sparked debate in Korea. Jisoo has faced ongoing criticism for her acting since her lead debut in Snowdrop, followed by projects such as Newtopia, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, and Monthly Boyfriend. Critics have repeatedly pointed to issues with her line delivery and emotional expression.
As a result, some netizens questioned the award, commenting that “everyone else won for acting skills except Jisoo,” referencing past recipients like Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People), Phoebe Dynevor (Bridgerton), Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria), and Ella Purnell (Fallout).
At the same time, others highlighted that the award is not strictly based on acting ability. The selection criteria reportedly include international influence, on-screen presence, and artistic growth—factors where Jisoo clearly stands out due to her global popularity.
Her recent project Monthly Boyfriend also performed strongly despite domestic criticism, ranking No.1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 (Non-English series) and debuting at No.4 in its first week.
Additionally, some pointed out that the Cannes International Series Festival is a TV-focused event and separate from the Cannes Film Festival, suggesting that comparisons may be misleading.
With opinions sharply divided, Jisoo’s win has once again highlighted the ongoing debate in K-entertainment: where the line is drawn between global influence and acting credibility.
Whether this recognition marks a turning point in her acting career or fuels further scrutiny remains to be seen.
Sources: Daum | 스포츠경향