From baseless accusations, health issues, to controversies, it is not easy to stand as a female Kpop idol.
It is no exaggeration to say that the music industry this year is the heyday of Kpop girl groups. From the 2nd and 3rd generations, who laid the foundation for the Korean Wave, to the 4th generation girl groups that attracted the eyes of the MZ generation, all are achieving remarkable results both domestically and abroad.
However, as their influence gradually grew, reckless speculations and malicious accusations related to these female idols also increased exponentially. A countermeasure is much needed, especially against rising damages and hurt that girl group members endure.
BLACKPINK released their 2nd regular album in the second half of this year and is meeting fans in various cities with the “WORLD TOUR ‘BORN PINK’”. However, as expectations and interest regarding the group is higher than ever, the demand regarding their attitude on stage is also overwhelming.
Then, a small lump was spotted on the right side of Jisoo’s neck, raising rumors about the BLACKPINK member’s health. However, YG Entertainment eventually announced that there were no abnormalities, and the topic died down. Meanwhile, criticisms about BLACKPINK’s “lazy performance” also ceased, as most oversea fans who went to the group concert emphasized that controversial videos were edited, and the performance was enjoyable.
IVE Jang Won Young, who has risen to the ranks of top girl group members, also could not avoid rumors. When she appeared on Mnet’s “Produce 48”, she was suspected of having Chinese ethnicity, and recently was caught up in absurd dating rumors with G-Dragon simply because of a sticker and clothes. Against this, Starship Entertainment said that all speculations were groundless, and threatened strong legal actions against the spread of false information.”
NewJeans, a trending rookie group, also went through a hard time due to controversies surrounding the lyrics of their debut song “Cookie”. In addition, the group’s fashion at KCON 2022 – JAPAN, which was held on October 15th, was also ridiculed. Both situations later calmed down, and the “weird fashion” donned by NewJeans was not even what they wore on stage.
However, whilst popular girl groups are suffering from a constant mantra of criticisms, accusations, and rumors, lesser-known groups also have a difficult time. In particular, girl groups like Hot Issue, CLC, Bling Bling, DIA, and BVNDIT failed to survive the fierce competition, and ended up disbanding. Meanwhile, others like LE SSERAFIM, fromis_9, LIGHTSUM, ICHILLIN’, Pixy, and H1-KEY faced the issue of member withdrawal and replacement.
Source: JTBC
