Celebrity

A rookie Kpop female idol makes Knet argue about her weight: Body shaming or advice to manage her idol image?

Many netizens are arguing that Swan (Purple Kiss) is not taking good care of her image as a Kpop idol, or is the public being too strict with the female idol?

Being a Kpop idol is not easy because idols have countless different standards that are imposed on them, from looks to skills, from personality to relationships. Of these, the most common pressure on K-pop idols is usually about their weight. Whether compulsory or voluntary, Kpop idols often have to follow a strict diet and exercise regimen to stay in shape.

That’s why among many female Kpop idols with skinny bodies, those with chubbier bodies are often easily noticed. This often leads to controversy because Kpop fans think that criticizing idols’ weight is body shaming, while many netizens insist that it is simply a standard to help idols gain confidence when appearing in front of the camera and limit malicious comments. Most recently, a topic involving a female K-pop rookie idol has caused such a controversy.

Swan Purple Kiss

Recently on a Korean online forum, Knets brought up the case of Swan, the youngest member of the girl group Purple Kiss which debuted in March 2021 under RBW Entertainment (MAMAMOO and ONEUS’s agency). Swan is a very talented member because she takes on the position of the group’s main vocalist. The female idol has a powerful vocal with a unique voice color that gives off Western vibes. Swan is also listed among the 4th generation Kpop idols with the most special and outstanding vocals.

Purple Kiss Swan’s cover video showcasing her impressive vocal 

However, what makes netizens argue is Swan‘s appearance. The female idol has a pretty face but a chubbier figure than other female Kpop idols. Even in many photos, Swan reveals many body disadvantages such as a big waist, plump biceps, and thighs. When she wears tight outfits, it makes viewers pay more attention because of the disproportion.

Swan Purple Kiss
Swan Purple Kiss
Swan Purple Kiss
Swan Purple Kiss

Because of this, many netizens wonder if Swan should lose some weight to match the image of an idol. They think that besides managing the image for herself and for the whole group, if Swan can lose weight, she will look more beautiful on-screen and her dancing will also become lighter and more elegant. On the other hand, weight control can also help Swan limit the comments that only focus on her body – which can decrease her level of confidence.

However, other Korean netizens commented that it doesn’t matter whether she loses weight or not. As long as she can still perform well on stage and show off her strong vocal with attractive facial expressions, the matter related to her weight is not a big problem. Some people also criticized the behavior of body-shaming Swan because although she looks pretty chubby on screen, she has a well-built and healthy body in real life.

Some comments by Korean netizens:

– Despite her chubby body, she still looks beautiful and cute. MAMAMOO’s company has never forced the members of MAMAMOO to diet and let them eat whatever they want. I heard the members mentioned that before, and I really respect this opinion. If Swan thinks she needs to lose weight or the stylist requests her to do so, she could just go on a diet as she wants.

– Care about yourself, please. She diets because she wants to do so. Stop shaming the appearance of others!

– I can understand that she might be a little chubby during the debut days, but she has been through all kinds of practices and tight schedules and still looks the same way? That’s strange!

– I watched their debut stage, and I think Swan has a nice voice and great control of emotions… I don’t think Swan and Ailee would look better in a skinny body. 

– I don’t want to comment about other people’s appearance, but it is true that KPOP idols have to follow some regulations to maintain their image. I think people should focus on her talents rather than her weight.

– Anyone would look fatter when appearing in front of the camera, and so does Swan. Maybe she’s just a little chubby

– This has happened many times already. Just look at Yeri (Red Velvet) and Umji (G-Friend). Their companies let them debut with a chubby and cute image, then later they impressively transformed into a more attractive image.

Swan Purple Kiss

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