Leeseo’s unawareness to Pikachu took both the show’s MC and the audience aback.
On September 3rd, according to Insight, singer Leeseo (IVE) was surrounded in a controversy on social media for saying that she did not know about the animated creature Pikachu.
Specifically, in a show aired on Naver NOW, IVE’s Wonyoung complimented Leeseo that Leeseo looked like Pikachu. Perplexed by her older member’s compliment, Leeseo said: “I only know until now about this character, Pikachu. I only saw them before on bread”.
Leeseo’s statement bewildered the show’s MC. Her recorded part about Pikachu soon was taken to the Internet and caused a surge of criticism.
Some audience members suspected that Leeseo feigned her attitude while others criticized the idol for her indifferent remarks. Some comments were incisive of her behaviors, stating Leeseo was trying to make herself look younger than other members.
Other groups defended the idol. They claimed that Pikachu was an intimate childhood character to the generations born in the 80s and 90s and, perhaps, more distant to those who were born in 2007 and did not watch animated shows.
Leeseo is 15 years old and the youngest member of IVE. She was a trainee at Starship at the age of 13. After a year of training, she debuted in the company’s new girl group. Leeseo was also a child model of SM Entertainment.
