Why Blackpink’s Rosé Skipped the 2023 Met Gala

Despite viral rumors that Rosé would be returning to the Met Gala red carpet, the K-pop singer did not make it to the ceremony. However, her bandmate Jennie did, clad in a vintage Chanel mini dress for her debut at the prestigious New York fashion event.

Jennie actually spoke on the red carpet about the advice Rosé gave her ahead of the Met Gala: “Rosie, she was here last year. She told me just have fun, so that’s the plan for today.”

Rosé didn’t address her absence on social media, but she did indeed make a splash during her first Met Gala in September 2021, where she wore a little black Saint Laurent dress.

Jennie was the only Blackpink member at the Met Gala this year. But the girls did just make history at Coachella last month. Blackpink became the first Asian act (and first K-pop group!) to headline the festival. In late April, ahead of the groundbreaking performance, the four members spoke to Billboard about being trailblazers.

“It feels absolutely unreal [to be headlining],” Rosé told the outlet. “I think performing for Coachella in 2019 was a moment that really woke us up as Blackpink—to be motivated, to dream on and dream big. But we never expected anything as big as being the headliner of a festival we’ve all grown up admiring and hoping someday we could find ourselves in the crowd of.”

Rosé also admitted that she, Lisa, Jisoo, and Jennie all felt the gravity of their music festival milestone—and intended to live up to the moment. “We’re honestly just excited to be back at Coachella performing, period, but the deal here is—we’re headlining,” she said. “We feel honored for this opportunity as much as we feel the immense responsibility. We’ll be bringing something fun to the table.” And they did, all while serving looks from their respective brand partnerships (Rosé with Saint Laurent and Tiffany & Co., Jennie with Chanel, Jisoo with Dior and Cartier, and Lisa with Celine and Bulgari).

Senior News and Strategy Editor

Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.