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Met Gala: When Stray Kids' Bang Chan shut down racist remarks at America’s biggest fashion event
Stray Kids' Met Gala debut faced an awkward moment with rude paparazzi, but leader Bang Chan handled the situation with professionalism and grace.
Stray Kids made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala last year on May 6, captivating fans with their regal charm in custom Tommy Hilfiger attire. As it was the group's first time at the high-profile event, they might have come across as a little stiff or nervous to the paparazzi, who mocked them on-air. During that, Bang Chan handled the situation with poise, receiving praise for his leadership and composure.
As the Met Gala is set to be back with the 2025 edition in two days, here's a look back at one of last year's events that created great buzz online. Popular boy band Stray Kids added to the increasing K-pop representation at the Met Gala in 2024. They made a powerful red carpet entry in long black trench coats, hiding their designer fits, which they revealed after some time. They stood tall exuding charm and sophistication as paparazzi filmed them.
In the circulated videos, the camera persons were heard murmuring to each other how "unemotional" and "robot"-like the boys looked. They probably wanted to refer to Stray Kids' fixed poses, without much variation; however, their choice of words wasn't exactly appropriate as per fans. As the members removed their coats to flaunt their stunning fit, a paparazzi was heard asking, "Oh, now we have to do it again?” Another said, "Now, let’s do it with feelings. Everybody jump!"
When Bang Chan noticed the paparazzi's behavior, he clapped his hands to signal his members to stop posing and get moving. His calm and composed behavior during the situation earned him praise from fans, who appreciated how he handled the incident with dignity. By respectfully exiting without engaging with the paparazzi, Bang Chan demonstrated his professionalism and leadership skills. It was also a silent answer to the alleged mockery.
The incident sparked a strong reaction on social media, with fans expressing outrage over the paparazzi's behavior at such a high-profile event. In a show of support for Stray Kids, some fans even hacked one of the paparazzi's websites, removing all content from the homepage and replacing it with the hashtag "Apologize to Stray Kids."
