Latest news with #SophiaBegg
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Influencer slammed over Japan travel post: ‘The song isn't even in Japanese'
An Australian influencer has been criticized online and accused of 'cultural appropriation' by some followers over her song choice and an outfit she wore in a social media post sharing photos from her current holiday in Japan. Sophia Begg, who goes by the name Sopha Dopha online and has more than 1.4 million followers, shared a carousel of photos from the first day of her trip in Tokyo on Instagram. However, the 21-year-old accompanied her 'photo dump' with a song in Mandarin by Chinese rapper SKAI ISYOURGOD called Blueprint Supreme. 'Day one: Tokyo,' Begg captioned the post, which included photos of her friends eating ramen, drinking matcha, shopping, and posing next to a vending machine and on trains. Some of her followers immediately noticed her choice of song. 3 Sophia Begg was criticized for using a song by a Chinese rapper in her post about Japan. @sophadophaa_/Instagram 'Girl I love you but please, the song isn't even in Japanese,' said one user, whose comment received over 100 likes. 'I fear this song is Chinese,' another bluntly pointed out. Others called her out for not only choosing a Mandarin song but also wearing a T-shirt with the Japanese word 'Suki' on it, meaning 'like' or 'love'. One user thought she was using 'culture for aesthetic' without actually understanding it. Another woman, who is Asian, said she also took issue with Begg wearing a shirt with Japanese characters on it. 3 Begg's 'photo dump' featured images from her first day in Tokyo. @sophadophaa_/Instagram 3 Some followers took issue with the influencer's outfit. @sophadophaa_/Instagram However, some defended her outfit and song choice saying the shirt 'looked good' and she was 'embracing the culture'. Someone else argued, 'I highly doubt she did it with malicious intent.' 'I don't understand why people can't appreciate other people's culture, even aesthetically,' asked a different user. Communications strategist Kriti Gupta, a South Asian woman, said that using a country's culture to be 'visually appealing' is an issue. 'Culture isn't a choice,' she explains. And even if the outfit and song choice was a 'misunderstanding,' – Ms Gupta reminds influencers to think carefully about their content before posting, as she says impact is more important than intent. Begg is yet to comment on the backlash online. has reached out to her for comment.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Influencer slammed for Japan post
An Australian influencer has been criticised online and accused of 'cultural appropriation' by some followers over her song choice and an outfit she wore in a social media post sharing photos from her current holiday in Japan. Sophia Begg, who goes by the name Sopha Dopha online and has more than 1.4 million followers, shared a carousel of photos from the first day of her trip in Tokyo on Instagram. However, the 21-year-old accompanied her 'photo dump' with a song in Mandarin by Chinese rapper SKAI ISYOURGOD called Blueprint Supreme. 'Day one: Tokyo,' Begg captioned the post, which included photos of her friends eating ramen, drinking matcha, shopping, and posing next to a vending machine and on trains. Some of her followers immediately noticed her choice of song. 'Girl I love you but please, the song isn't even in Japanese,' said one user, whose comment received over 100 likes. 'I fear this song is Chinese,' another bluntly pointed out. Others called her out for not only choosing a Mandarin song but also wearing a T-shirt with the Japanese word 'Suki' on it, meaning 'like' or 'love'. One user thought she was using 'culture for aesthetic' without actually understanding it. Another woman, who is Asian, said she also took issue with Begg wearing a shirt with Japanese characters on it. However, some defended her outfit and song choice saying the shirt 'looked good' and she was 'embracing the culture'. Someone else argued, 'I highly doubt she did it with malicious intent'. 'I don't understand why people can't appreciate other people's culture, even aesthetically,' asked a different user. Communications strategist Kriti Gupta, a South Asian woman, said that using a country's culture to be 'visually appealing' is an issue. 'Culture isn't a choice,' she explains. And even if the outfit and song choice was a 'misunderstanding,' - Ms Gupta reminds influencers to think carefully about their content before posting, as she says impact is more important than intent. Begg is yet to comment on the backlash online.
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘Giving racism': Internet unleashes on Aussie's Japan post
An Australian influencer and business owner has been grilled amid claims of cultural appropriation during her holiday to Japan. The internet unleashed at All For Mimi founder Sophia Begg, known online as Sopha Dopha, after she posted a series of photos capturing her first day in Tokyo to her Instagram. Begg can be seen posing against a vending machine sporting a polka dot bandana, bright pink shorts and a baggy white t-shirt branded with Japanese characters 'Suki' which translates to 'like' or 'love.' Subsequent photos show Begg and her two friends, including employee Bailey, indulging in matcha and ramen while exploring the city. The 21-year old's post also featured Chinese rapper SKAI ISYOURGOD's song Blueprint Supreme playing over the top. With a following of more than 660,000 on the platform, critics were quick to unload on the TikTok star. Sophia Begg in Tokyo, Japan. Credit: Instagram @sophadophaa_ 'This honestly reflects white privilege on another level… being able to pick and choose parts of someone else's culture for aesthetic without needing to understand or respect it. Meanwhile, we as Asians grow up being shamed or mocked for these same things. It's not just a song or a vibe, it's a lived culture, and treating it like a trend is harmful,' one person wrote. 'Look good but it's giving racism,' said another. A third added: 'The casual racism is sending me LMAO.' Many of the people unhappy with Begg's upload took issue with the song choice given it is in Mandarin and is not by a Japanese musician. 'Girl I love you but please the song isn't even in Japanese,' 'You should change the song or remove it. its not even Japanese,' Despite calls for the influencer to remove the audio from the post, Begg has not taken it down or responded to the negative comments.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aussie influencer slammed for tone deaf post in Japan: 'It's giving racism'
Aussie influencer Sopha Dopha has been accused of cultural appropriation while on holiday in Japan. The TikTok star, whose real name is Sophia Begg and boasts 1.4million followers on the platform, made an embarrassing gaffe on Friday as she uploaded a carousel of pictures from her first day in Tokyo to Instagram. The 21-year-old uploaded her post with an audio from a song sung in the spoken language of Mandarin. 'Day one: Tokyo,' Sophia captioned the photo dump that shows her and two friends enjoying matcha, ramen, and posing for a photoshoot beside a vending machine. Sophia wore pink shorts, an oversized white T-shirt emblazoned with the Japanese word Suki (好き), meaning 'like', and a polka dot bandana. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Day one: Tokyo,' Sophia captioned the post, adding a string of emojis that included the Japanese flag and two sushi characters. Fans were quick to point out the irony of the TikToker making travel content about Japan and overlaying it with a Chinese song. 'Girl I love you, but please the song isn't even in Japanese,' the top comment on the post read. 'I fear this song is Chinese,' said another. Others were more pointed in their remarks. 'Looks good but it's giving racism,' one wrote, with another follower adding: 'The casual racism is sending me LMAO.' 'As an Asian woman, [I find] her using Japanese words as an aesthetic racist,' they added in another comment. 'She also seems to be unaware that the song she's using isn't Japanese, it's Mandarin.' The 21-year-old uploaded her post with an audio from a song sung in Mandarin 'Using Asian culture as an aesthetic is racism, period,' they continued. 'This honestly reflects white privilege on another level,' yet another disappointed follower commented. 'Being able to pick and choose parts of someone else's culture for aesthetic without needing to understand or respect it. 'Meanwhile, we as Asians grow up being shamed or mocked for these same things. It's not just a song or a vibe, it's a lived culture, and treating it like a trend is harmful.' Sophia and her friends travelled from Australia to Japan on Thursday. In less than 24 hours, she posted five TikToks about her travels, in addition to the controversial Instagram post. 'We are in Japan, Tokyo and we are going to get ramen,' she began in one video. 'I came here last year and it was one of the best meals I've ever had,' Sophia said. 'We're all starving. We haven't eaten since Maccas in the airport 12 hours ago.' Cultural appropriation is the adoption of an element or elements of culture or identity by members of another culture or identity in a manner perceived as inappropriate or without proper acknowledgement. Such a controversy typically arises when members of a dominant culture borrow from minority cultures. Sophia has not responded to the faux pas online.
Daily Mail
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Travellers go wild over a must-have item - and it's selling out fast: 'Best airport essential to exist'
A simple yet chic tracksuit set has become a must-have for travellers - and it's so popular that one of the colours sold out in just five minutes. Australian fashion-forward brand All For Mimi has been struggling to keep up with demand since releasing its viral hoodies and track pants in early May. The set features buttery-soft fabric, perfect for anyone looking to elevate their airport loungewear while travelling in comfort - or avoid the stress of choosing an outfit for an early morning flight. All For Mimi founder Sophia Begg designed the track sets herself, with the range offering three 'dreamy' colours: Midnight, Chill and Scarlett. On the night of the launch on May 2, Midnight proved to be a fan favourite colour, selling out in just minutes. 'It's such a crazy feeling,' Sophia told FEMAIL. 'Working so hard on a product and seeing the customers and community love it and feel confident in our pieces is an unexplainable feeling.' The track set, featuring a zip jacket ($109), hoodie ($99) and track pants ($89), has been a huge hit among shoppers, with many calling it 'the best airport fit to exist'. 'Obsessed is an understatement,' one said. 'Total vibes, love it,' another shared. The 21-year-old, who hails from NSW, is a full time content creator with more than two million followers across her social media platforms. She was inspired to create her clothing brand All For Mimi, as a sweet nod to her great-great-grandmother Mimi, who was a fashion designer herself. 'I was not fortunate enough to meet her, but with every story, I grew more and more connected to her,' Sophia said. 'Her love for glamorous fashion, coupled with her refusing to accept the status quo, has stayed with me as I've grown into the woman I am with a desire to follow in her footsteps. I wanted to dedicate my brand to Mimi in her honour, and I hope to carry on her legacy in my work.' The fashion entrepreneur put blood, sweet and tears into designing her own range of clothes - a lengthy process that took over three years before she finally launched the business in October 2023. 'All For Mimi is known for its quality pieces and inclusivity in the size range and styles to cater for every body,' she said. 'We put every bit of love and care into designing our pieces and do not sell something unless it is of the highest quality and comfort. 'We have received so many shipments that have been messed up during production and had to forfeit stock because we refuse to sell anything that we don't 100 per cent stand by and love. 'We are so proud of every piece we sell.' The brand's sell-out piece is the 'life changing' tank top, which has been flying off the shelves since its launch. 'Our viral tank is obviously iconic and probably my most worn AFM piece,' she said. 'It's the top we cannot keep in stock - it goes absolutely wild. It's the softest material ever, yet is so flattering, and gives an instant boob lift.' Fans of the top has been raving about it, with one saying: 'Every big busted girls dream tank.. I'm a 12F I brought black and white, both sizes S and M and when I tell you they literally are life changing I mean it, snatched tick... girls supported tick. 'This fabric is unmatched so buttery and soft I can't wait to buy more - definitely will be getting smalls for other colours in future for a more snatched look.' Another fan favourite piece is the Harper jacket. 'Our jacket in red sold out within one minute and we've restocked twice. We still have people asking to this day, a year later, if we'll bring it back in stock,' Sophia said. But if Sophia had to choose just one piece from her collection, the business owner said the pyjamas are her all-time favourite. 'They're the comfiest PJs I've ever worn and I live in them,' she said. All For Mimi has been growing rapidly, amassing nearly 200,000 loyal fans across its social media platforms. 'We're constantly designing new collections and pieces which is so fun,' Sophia said. 'We are rapidly growing our team which is super exciting and we are actually moving out of our first ever office, which is bittersweet.'
