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K-pop girl group BLACKPINK received criticism online from Chinese netizens after videos of the members holding a young panda called Fu Bao--the first panda born in South Korea.

The BLACKPINK clip showed band members holding Fu Bao while wearing protective suits, gloves, and face masks.

The clip was reportedly part of the group's reality series 24/365 with BLACKPINK.

Despite the members' precaution, their videos triggered negative responses from Chinese netizens.

Users of the social media platform Weibo commented, "They didn't explain why they touched the baby panda with heavy makeup!"

Another popular comment read: "BLACKPINK should apologize."

Others directed their dismay at the theme park, asking: "What was Everland doing? They are professionals."

The main BLACKPINK clip is no longer available online.

BLACKPINK also released a statement on their Twitter regarding the issue, "The behavior of non-professionals in close contact with baby pandas can cause misunderstanding of others, so we decided to delay the screening of related videos."

[NOTICE] pic.twitter.com/vX8eL0lzlC

-- BLACKPINK GLOBAL BLINK (@ygofficialblink) November 7, 2020

BLACKPINK fans came to the girls' defense, pointing out that the girls shouldn't have been allowed by the zoo keepers to touch the panda if it was against their protocols.

Wouldn't it be the responsibility of the zoo??? If they touched the animals, it was because the zoo allowed it, right? 🤔

-- nani | aespa&izone 💛 (@angelslastmiss) November 5, 2020

It's cause they were wearing makeup or sum near the baby pandas but it's not like they were heavily caked or anything?

-- ˗ˏˋ♕ ⁷ˎˊ˗ 이나라 (@BANGPINKWINKON) November 5, 2020

but the panda caretakers, a professional one, let blackpink close to the pandas. why netizen who arent (in this case) a professional got angry over this?

-- wén (@yourqwen) November 5, 2020

Korean media also cited past reports of celebrities interacting with pandas, without being reprimanded.

Netizens show numerous instances of celebrities with baby pandas and wonder why Chinese netizens are now getting angry at BLACKPINK https://t.co/AQMW5cY4zO

-- allkpop (@allkpop) November 6, 2020

Korean media Yonhap news agency reported Fu Bao was born in the Everland Resort theme park, from pandas sent from Sichuan, China in 2016.

Fu Bao was introduced to a group of selected children and reporters in an event earlier this month.

Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species and the birth of a panda cub is handled crucially.