On July 30 at Suwon World Cup Stadium, IVE took part in both the opening kick and a halftime performance during kickoff ceremony of the 2025 Coupang Play Series match between Team K League and Newcastle United. While the members wore coordinated light blue tops, sneakers, and sporty styles, Jang Wonyoung’s outfit stood out — she wore tight-fitting pants paired with a body-hugging mini dress over them.
Many initially blamed the stylist, questioning their judgment. However, this theory was quickly refuted when member Rei took to the fan platform, stating: “Isn’t our IVE uniform super cute? We personally asked for each outfit to be customized the way we wanted.”
This confirmed that the members themselves chose the designs, clearing the stylist of any responsibility. Given Jang Wonyoung’s renowned visuals and model-like physique, it’s understandable that style is a priority. Still, many questioned whether such a look was appropriate for a public sports venue, especially during a formal kickoff event.
In contrast, last year’s Coupang Play match featuring NewJeans drew praise for their outfit choice — standard soccer uniforms with shorts, matching tops, long socks, and sneakers. Their look was described as “ready-to-play” and entirely fitting for the occasion.
On Pann, netizens quickly caught on, leading to a fierce exchange in the comment section, with many defending Jang Wonyoung and condemning the wave of malicious posts targeting her.
Comments on Pann:
- “OP edited their post, lol. They were ranting like lunatics that Wonyoung chooses all the revealing outfits herself, and now they suddenly change the post? I bet now they’ll start accusing Wonyoung’s fans of being oversensitive.”
- “They were literally talking about coordinating uniforms, but delusional people keep acting like Wonyoung is choosing every single revealing outfit herself. Seriously, they sound mentally unwell. You can smell the inferiority complex and loser vibes from here.”
- “Why are all these bitter, rejected girls suddenly crawling out of nowhere to whine about Wonyoung’s ‘aesthetic’ and preferences? What set you off this time? Maybe you saw Wonyoung gaining a bit of healthy weight and getting lots of positive reactions lately, and it made you snap while stuffing your face with malatang. Is this the active season for salty pigs or what? They’ve been swarming recently, lol.”
- “Hey girls, instead of wasting time backseat criticizing someone else’s outfit, why don’t you go shop on Ably or something?”
- “If a pretty girl dresses modestly, she looks clean and elegant. If she wears something revealing, she looks sexy and gorgeous. So what’s the problem? Wonyoung has insane visuals and body proportions — she looks amazing in literally anything. Meanwhile, you all should wear hijabs or something. Your ugly faces are hurting our eyes. Total visual pollution.”
Ultimately, this controversy touches on broader themes — how idols balance fashion expression and appropriateness, especially in non-entertainment settings. While K-pop stars like Jang Wonyoung continue to push style boundaries, the public continues to weigh in on where to draw the line.
Nate, Pann
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