Actor Ansel Elgort is embroiled in a debate regarding his choice of attire at a Seoul art event. Elgort sported a yukata, also called a summer kimono, sparking speculation of insensitivity.
Ansel Elgort faced backlash after wearing a Japanese yukata to a Seoul art event
Elgort attended CJ Night in Celebration of Frieze Seoul at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul. This happens to be one of the marquee events surrounding Frieze Seoul 2026. The latter is an international art fair that has become a major fixture on Asia’s cultural calendar.
Photos of the event showed Elgort pairing the attire with sneakers and a large turquoise neckpiece. However, his fashion statement did not go down well with some observers. According to The Korea Herald, critics have questioned why Elgort chose to wear a Japanese traditional outfit to a Korean cultural event.
Reportedly, the dress code for the event was cocktail attire – a detail that made his choice more implausible.
The actor’s Instagram was flooded with disparaging comments. One person wrote, “Time, place, occasion is really important! You must know this three words! And you have to think your custom what you wore!” Another said, “U surely made your name well known in Korea. Now go to China in that dress you love and see what happens.”
A third person evaluated the choice, saying, “Interesting choice. Most people attending an official event try to represent their own country. You chose to wear another countrys traditional clothing instead. What message exactly were you trying to send?”
Another called for re-assessment of the decision, “Why not take this opportunity to reexamine the history of Japanese aggression from the perspectives of Korea and China, rather than Japan? If they know of their atrocities, they would not dare to walk the streets of Korea wearing a yukata.”
However, all is not dark for the “The Fault in Our Stars” actor. Some people have said that the outfit is just a fashion decision, and no further speculation ought to be made regarding it.
Originally reported by Sreemanti Sengupta for Reality Tea
