Girl band QWER has found itself at the center of a storm after unveiling its lightstick for the ROCKATION world tour in Seoul. Fans quickly noticed its megaphone-like design resembled the official lightstick of boy group THE BOYZ, released in 2021. The similarities fueled accusations of plagiarism, sparking uneasy reactions online.
While the debate unfolded, QWER member Siyeon added fuel to the fire with her own remarks. On her social media, she celebrated the release, writing, “Finally, our lightstick is here! Don’t throw it like a cheerleading megaphone though!” Her excitement, however, was met with sharp criticism from a netizen who accused QWER of “stealing memories” from senior group (THE BOYZ) and mocked members’ past jobs. The comment referenced how Chodan and Magenta had worked as female streamers (BJs) before debut.
In response, Siyeon defended herself: “Unnie (sister), I’ve never received star balloons. My previous job was as a Japanese idol…” When the netizen sarcastically retorted, “So QWER is just you alone then?” Siyeon replied, “Unnie, don’t be like that. Come to the concert and I’ll always adore you.”
The exchange quickly spread across online communities, with many interpreting Siyeon’s “never got star balloons” comment as drawing an uncomfortable line between herself and her teammates. Critics labeled it a “team-kill,” saying it implied she was distancing herself from fellow members with BJ backgrounds. Some fans commented:
- “Is she throwing shade at her own members?”
- “That response is disrespectful to teammates.”
- “She should have ignored the comment instead of answering.”
Others defended Siyeon, arguing she was simply clarifying a false claim:
- “She just corrected misinformation what’s wrong with that?”
- “The rude netizen is the one at fault for dragging up old jobs.”
Now, QWER faces two controversies simultaneously: accusations of plagiarizing THE BOYZ’s lightstick design and backlash over Siyeon’s remarks. All eyes are on Tamago Productions, the group’s agency, to see if they will issue an official statement to address the situation.
Sources: naver
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