South Korean-born Vietnamese singer sparks controversy for ‘pretty’ friends comment

Won recently uploaded a photo to her Facebook page with the caption: “Based on my experience, most beautiful people don’t have hatred, they are pretty and kind. Therefore, I only hang with people who are pretty. What are your thoughts on this?”

Hari Won’s post was then shared widely across a variety of social networks.

Many commenters were not happy with the singer judging people based on their looks.

“So, you’re saying that people only have great personalities when they are pretty? I know people who are pretty on the outside but ugly on the inside,” read a comment posted by Amy Nguyen.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover. That’s a basic lesson that everyone should learn. People can be kind whether they are beautiful or not pretty,” Canh Pham commented.

South Korean-born singer Hari Won. Photo courtesy of Hari Won

Some also defended Won, arguing that the post was based on her subjective experience and that she did use the phrase “most” beautiful people, not “all.”

Some argued that the whole scandal was just a misunderstanding, because Won meant “pretty on the inside.”

“Maybe what Hari Won meant is that she doesn’t find mean people pretty. What she’s trying to say is people who are kind and compassionate are pretty to her,” Hung Tran commented.

“Her Vietnamese is not good, and it’s just a personal opinion. Normal people say things like this all the time, but when it’s famous person, it becomes controversial,” another account commented.

Hari Won, 37, moved to Vietnam from South Korea in 2007 and became a singer in 2014. With several hits under her belt, she married comedian Tran Thanh in 2016.