Hollywood actor Ansel Elgort criticized for wearing traditional Japanese attire to Korean event

Ansel Elgort wore a yukata, a traditional Japanese garment, to the "CJ Night in Celebration of Frieze Seoul" event to celebrate the start of Frieze Seoul, an international art fair.

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Actor Ansel Elgort wears traditional Japanese attire in a photo uploaded to his social media. Elgort wore a yukata, a traditional Japanese garment, while attending the “CJ Night in Celebration of Frieze Seoul” event at the Leeum Museum of Art in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Sept. 2.

Hollywood actor Ansel Elgort raised eyebrows after showing up in traditional Japanese attire to an event in Seoul meant to showcase Korean culture.

Elgort wore a yukata, a traditional Japanese garment, to the “CJ Night in Celebration of Frieze Seoul” event at the Leeum Museum of Art in Yongsan District, central Seoul, on Wednesday.

CJ Group hosted the event to celebrate the start of Frieze Seoul, an international art fair that runs from Wednesday through Saturday. Some pointed out that Elgort’s choice of dress was inappropriate, given that the event was intended to showcase Korean culture and lifestyle to domestic and international guests across the art scene.

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His outfit quickly drew attention online, with users writing, “Did he get off at the wrong airport during a layover?” and “A kimono right in the middle of Seoul?”

Elgort, born in 1994, is an American actor known for films including “Baby Driver” (2017) and “West Side Story” (2021).

He welcomed a son with a Japanese American woman in May and has previously posted photos of himself in traditional Japanese clothing on social media.

Various prominent figures — including singer G-Dragon; actors Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun and Lee Min-jung; and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won — attended the CJ Night event.


BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.


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