SEOUL, Sept 5 — American actor Ansel Elgort sparked online backlash in South Korea after appearing in a traditional Japanese yukata at a high‑profile art event in Seoul this week.
According to the Hankook Iblo, Elgort attended “CJ NIGHT in Celebration of Frieze Seoul” on Wednesday at the Leeum Museum of Art in Yongsan District, an annual gala held alongside the Frieze art fair’s Seoul edition. The event, which requested “cocktail attire” from guests, drew major Korean names including actors Lee Byung‑hun, Lee Min‑jung and Lee Jung‑jae, filmmaker Park Chan‑wook and K‑pop star G‑Dragon.
Photos of Elgort posing in the yukata circulated widely on social media, prompting criticism from Korean users who questioned the appropriateness of wearing a Japanese garment at a Korean cultural event. Some commenters argued the outfit was unrelated to the occasion and out of step with the dress code.
Elgort, best known for his role in Baby Driver, is engaged to a Japanese American partner and recently announced the birth of their son.
