Fan dissatisfaction intensified on February 1, when the female trainees appeared prominently as backup dancers during LNGSHOT’s music show stage. The decision immediately sparked criticism online, with fans expressing discomfort and frustration across multiple communities.
On February 2, a coalition of Chinese LNGSHOT fans escalated the situation by sending protest trucks to More Vision’s headquarters. Messages displayed on the LED screens strongly condemned the agency’s management approach, stating, “Selling trainees alongside a rookie group just one month after debut, fans are not obligated to support two teams,” and “Fans’ wallets are not ATMs for juniors.” Other slogans accused the company of crossing boundaries and failing to respect idol fandom culture.
Online reactions have remained largely critical. Netizens questioned the agency’s intentions, leaving comments such as “Is attaching female trainees to a one-month-old boy group just blatant noise marketing?” and “Is this group supposed to be idols or a hip-hop crew?” raising doubts about LNGSHOT’s identity and concept direction.
Still, some voices urged moderation. A portion of the public argued that the paired choreography could be interpreted as a genre-driven attempt to showcase performance diversity and that staging a truck protest over a single choreography choice might be excessive.
Within the traditional idol market, interactions between male idols and female dancers or trainees remain an extremely sensitive issue among fandoms. Similar backlash occurred in the past when ENHYPEN faced intense criticism over paired choreography with female dancers during “Bite Me” promotions, which ultimately led to changes in their performance.
As Jay Park has repeatedly emphasized breaking away from conventional boy group formulas, the controversy surrounding LNGSHOT highlights the growing tension between experimental concepts and fan expectations. Attention is now focused on how More Vision will respond to the escalating backlash and whether adjustments will be made in LNGSHOT’s future activities.
Sources: Daum
You must be logged in to post a comment.