BLACKPINK, Jungkook, and More Idols’ Encore Stages Go Viral Again Amid LE SSERAFIM’s Controversy 

Encore stages are originally meant for K-pop idols to express gratitude to their fans after winning 1st place on music shows. However, as encore stages often require artists to sing live completely without backing vocals or instrumental support, they can expose the idols’ real live singing skills.

In recent years, there’s been a growing debate about how encore stages have become daunting “vocal tests” for newer-generation idol groups.

LE SSERAFIM’s recent encore performances for their latest title track “EASY” have sparked a controversy and received criticism. Despite being in their third year of activity, the HYBE girl group has often faced scrutiny over their live singing skills. Despite their acclaimed performance skills, especially with their hard choreography, LE SSERAFIM‘s live singing has been controversial.

Starting from their encore performance of “EASY” on M!Countdown, LE SSERAFIM found themselves going viral for all the wrong reasons. 

Netizens slammed the group for not improving their vocal skills, sounding unstable and going off-key despite singing without dancing. Even the main vocalist Yunjin caused disappointment, while Sakura received the most negative feedback for her live vocals. 

Amidst LE SSERAFIM’s issue, some other idols’ controversial encore stages have gone viral again, including TWICE, IVE, (G)I-DLE’s Shuhua, and BTS’s Jimin. 

TWICE’s infamous “More & More” encore is even considered a significant career setback. Jimin’s “Like Crazy” encore stage sparked a heated debate in 2023, garnering over 40 million views on Twitter. 

Another controversial idol when it comes to live singing is (G)I-DLE’s Shuhua. Lacking the ability to harmonize and being dubbed “tone-deaf”, Shuhua often relies on other members to carry her through the singing parts. Among 4th gen idols, Shuhua and Sakura are both facing the most scrutiny for their vocal skills.

IVE, during their early debut period, also sparked discussions due to lackluster encore performances, but there has been some improvement over time. Netizens have noticed that the “vocal holes” appear the most in 4th gen groups, especially from HYBE. 

At the same time, 3rd gen top idols such as BLACKPINK, BTS’ Jungkook, SEVENTEEN, have gained attention again for their impressive encore performances.

BLACKPINK is a standout when it comes to live singing. Their encore stage for “How You Like That” made waves in 2020 with the members’ powerful live vocals.

BLACKPINK members always effortlessly showcase their live singing skills during encore stages. The encore video for “How You Like That” garnered nearly 35 million views on YouTube, setting a record.

Another encore performance that went viral for being good was Jungkook’s “Seven.” Engaging with fans while singing, Jungkook impressed listeners with his stable vocals. 

SEVENTEEN is a rare artist under HYBE with excellent live vocals. Apart from their five vocal team members, some like Hoshi, Mingyu,… are also highly praised for their live singing. SEVENTEEN’s encore performances all take place in a cheerful, relaxed atmosphere. The 13 members had fun with fans while still serving strong live vocals.

Additionally, K-pop fans reminisce about the 2nd generation of K-pop, when public evaluation standards for idol vocals were much stricter. Top groups like TVXQ, BIGBANG, SNSD, 2NE1,… almost never sparked live singing controversies.

Source: K14