Son Dam-bi stirs controversy again after wearing sneakers on hotel bed, weeks after bubble-play apology

Singer and actor Son Dam-bi is drawing fresh criticism after photos emerged of her sitting on a hotel bed while wearing sneakers — just 20 days after she apologized for a separate etiquette controversy at a lodging facility.

On Friday, Son posted several travel photos to her social media account with the caption: "Today is the last day of my Japan trip. Enjoying every last bite and making the most of it until the end."

One of the photos showed Son sitting on the edge of a hotel room bed, dressed in a black sleeveless top and miniskirt, wearing blue sneakers. The controversy flared when another photo posted alongside it appeared to show her wearing the same sneakers outdoors on the streets of Japan.

Some online users took issue with what appeared to be Son sitting on the hotel bed without removing shoes she had worn outside.

The backlash was amplified by the fact that Son had faced — and apologized for — a nearly identical etiquette controversy just 20 days earlier.

Earlier this month, Son posted a video to social media showing her blowing bubbles indoors with her young daughter at a lodging facility, which drew criticism that the soap solution could cause slippery floors or stains.

Son initially defended herself, saying she had wiped the floor clean with a towel, but the criticism grew. The following day, she apologized, saying the bubble play at the accommodation "was my carelessness." She added that she had tidied up after the activity but pledged to be more careful going forward so the same thing would not happen again.

Son made her debut as a singer in 2007 and rose to fame with hits including "Crazy" and "Saturday Night." She later expanded into acting, appearing in drama series including "Light and Shadow" and "When the Camellia Blooms." In 2022, she married former national speed skating team member Lee Gyu-hyeok, and the couple welcomed a daughter last year.