This trend has turned into an international “meme,” causing Korean netizens to have mixed reactions
In Korea, when discussions revolve around the representative 4th-generation girl groups, two names immediately spring to mind: NewJeans and IVE. In 2023, NewJeans and IVE created a frenzy with their releases. Each group has its own unique sound and vibes, but they share a common point of youthful freshness and trendsetting prowess.
This explains the constant flood of content related to NewJeans and IVE on social media. What drew attention recently is the NewJeans dance trend in the style of IVE’s Jang Wonyoung.
This dance trend has taken over the internet, with thousands of videos featuring covers of NewJeans’ hit songs like “OMG,” “Ditto,” and “Super Shy,” with people doing the dances in different levels of energy, including the “Jang Wonyoung” level. The trend isn’t confined to Asia; it has spilled over into Europe and the Americas, where NewJeans’ music is captivating the younger generation.
Jang Wonyoung is undoubtedly one of the most popular among the new generation of female idols. Her striking visuals make her stand out wherever she goes. However, her performance skills, particularly her dancing, have been viewed by some as not quite up to par. In a previous instance, Jang Wonyoung went viral for her somewhat awkward shoulder dance, leading to her being turned into a “meme”.
Recently, during their promotions, IVE members enthusiastically danced NewJeans’ “Super Shy,” while Jang Wonyoung once again stuck to her iconic shoulder dance. Yet, transforming Jang Wonyoung into a meme of “lazy dancing” has triggered a controversy among Korean netizens.
Many are divided, with fans arguing that Jang Wonyoung is working on her skills and not dancing to another group’s choreography is a normal choice that shouldn’t be a cause for mockery.
Korean netizens left comments:
- “As long as she dances well in her own songs, that’s all that matters.”
- “When a company makes idols learn the choreography of another group, some remember it well, and some don’t. I don’t get why there is an issue.”
- “But it’s really funny; it doesn’t become a meme for no reason.”
- “What’s strange is that she only doesn’t dance to NewJeans, even though their choreography is quite popular. It makes me wonder if Jang Wonyoung doesn’t care about NewJeans. But she still dances to BLACKPINK’s songs, so maybe she just wants to dance to the songs she likes.”
- “Her lazy dancing is so severe that international fans are turning her into a meme now?”
Source: K14
