【South Korea】Controversy Over Starship Entertainment’s Luxury Brand Strategy and IVE’s Jang Won-young

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Editor’s Note

This article examines a recent social media incident involving K-pop group IVE and luxury fashion brands, highlighting potential complexities in artist-brand relationships and public relations etiquette within the entertainment industry.

The Incident

Starship Entertainment reportedly sent an invitation to a Gucci Asia-Pacific public relations representative to attend an IVE concert. After the concert, the PR representative only followed IVE member Jang Won-young on Instagram and posted photos exclusively with her. Notably, Jang Won-young is a brand ambassador for Miu Miu, while another IVE member has been the one primarily associated with Gucci.

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Fan Reaction and Commentary

The situation has sparked discussion among fans, who note that the PR representative had zero interaction with the other five IVE members, despite Starship’s efforts to facilitate the connection. Comments draw a parallel to a workplace scenario:

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“This is like the employee the boss dislikes the most turning out to be the most outstanding, with the best performance, and the one all the clients prefer. Meanwhile, the employee the boss favors can’t measure up. No wonder there are constant attempts to trip her up and recycle old tactics—Starship must really hold a grudge to use every possible method.”
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The post also highlights Jang Won-young’s status as a brand ambassador for Bulgari.

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⏰ Published on: January 31, 2026