It’s Time We Talk About Why Everyone Loves to Hate Emily in Paris

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by Kailah Haddad
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Netflix

It’s no secret that Emily in Paris has become a global sensation, a binge-worthy Netflix escape that transports us into a glamorous Parisian fantasy full of fashion, drama, and love triangles. We’re obsessed with the show, but when it comes to Emily Cooper herself, the consensus seems to be a collective eye-roll. She’s “annoying”, “makes too many mistakes”, and somehow “gets away with everything”. But here’s my question: why do we love to hate Emily Cooper so much, and is she really as bad as everyone claims? I don’t think so.

Emily Cooper is far from perfect. In fact, her imperfections are on full display in every episode: she fumbles her way through French culture, makes one romantic mess after another, and somehow always manages to get herself out of sticky situations with nothing more than a smile and an “oops!” These flaws are exactly why some people can’t stand her. But for me, they are what make her so relatable and, ultimately, loveable.

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The Case Against Emily: Why So Much Hate?

A lot of the criticism directed at Emily seems to revolve around her being a stereotypical American girl next door — pretty, bubbly, and unbothered by her lack of experience or cultural knowledge. Online, you’ll see people saying things like, “Emily Cooper actually sucks. Like, she’s not a very nice person, moans a lot and her Instagram is shite.” It’s harsh, but it sums up a large chunk of the discourse surrounding her character.

There’s also the classic argument that she’s a damsel in distress, always falling into the arms of a hot French guy, making endless mistakes, and relying on others to clean up her messes. Critics say she takes without giving back, coasts through work with little accountability, and embodies the quintessential “American in Paris” cliché.

But the real question I always ask is: why are we so hard on her?

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Why We Should Love Emily (Flaws and All)

I can’t help but respect Emily, starting right from the moment she chose her career over her long-distance boyfriend in Chicago. That decision alone signals that she’s driven, ambitious, and unafraid to prioritise her own growth. Then, there’s her willingness to uproot her life and move to Paris for her job — a move many of us wouldn’t have the guts to make. She’s a young woman chasing her dreams, so why does that make her so hateable?

Her work ethic is another point that deserves defending. Yes, she’s ambitious, but that shouldn’t make her the villain. Her French coworkers hate her simply for doing her job well. She shows up early, puts in the effort, and treats people with kindness, yet she’s dismissed as annoying or ignorant just because she’s an American trying to navigate a new culture.

People also knock her for not knowing French, but how many of us would’ve picked up and moved to a foreign country with limited knowledge of the language, and then immediately started taking classes? That initiative says a lot about Emily’s willingness to grow and adapt. And yet, she still gets ridiculed.

@popsugarau she’s got great taste… like emily cooper #teamalfie 👀 #lilycollins #jonasbrothers #emilyinparis #popsugarau ♬ original sound – POPSUGAR Australia

Owning Her Mistakes (And That’s Okay)

Is Emily Cooper flawed? Absolutely. But I think that’s part of what makes her so human. She messes up — a lot — but she owns her mistakes and tries to learn from them. When she fumbled her way into messy love triangles or made bad calls at work, she didn’t run from the consequences. She faced them head-on, sometimes with disastrous results, but always with a genuine desire to improve.

And let’s not forget how she stands up for herself. Emily doesn’t give in to the pressures of Parisian culture. She refuses to smoke, even when everyone around her is doing it. She brushes off the comments about her eating habits and keeps her head held high when people tell her she doesn’t belong.

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Why We Love to Hate Her

At the end of the day, I think a lot of the frustration with Emily stems from the fact that she gets away with making so many mistakes while still managing to charm everyone around her. We want to see her fail, yet she doesn’t. She keeps bouncing back. And maybe that’s where the love-hate relationship comes in. We envy her ability to embrace her flaws, navigate her chaotic life with a smile, and never let anyone or anything truly get her down.

So, is Emily annoying? Sometimes, yes. But she’s also incredibly resilient, ambitious, and — dare I say it — relatable. For every person who rolls their eyes at her missteps, there’s someone (like me) rooting for her to succeed despite them. After all, there wouldn’t be Emily in Paris without Emily.

Now, for those who haven’t watched yet: get on it. The show has been renewed for a fifth season, so there’s plenty of time to catch up and join the debate. Whether you love her, hate her, or love to hate her, Emily Cooper isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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