IVE’s Jang Wonyoung Criticized for Lackluster Attitude in China? Defended by Fans

The highly-anticipated comeback of girl group IVE has finally arrived with their new EP “IVE SWITCH” and the release of the MV for one of the title tracks, “HEYA” .

The “HEYA”MV left a lasting impact with its stunning oriental influences, but faced severe backlash from Chinese individuals who accused IVE of cultural appropriation. This dispute escalated to the point where a significant number of mainland fans chose to “unfollow”IVE and boycott their future releases.

As the most popular member of IVE in China, Jang Wonyoung was significantly impacted.

Recently, a fan who used to be very dedicated to Jang Wonyoung published a post, claiming that she showed a lack of enthusiasm during fan calls. Since fans have to purchase many albums and pay a significant fee for a chance to participate in these calls, those chosen as “fancall winners”are usually some of the most devoted fans.

Despite their loyalty and support for IVE for the past 2 years, a fan recently made headlines when they announced their departure from the fandom. This decision was based on their disappointment with Jang Wonyoung’s perceived lack of enthusiasm, causing a stir on Chinese social media platform Weibo with over 100 thousand views and sparking lively discussions. The fan’s post also revealed that they had spent over 11,000 USD on IVE’s albums and goods.

Under the comments section, Jang Wonyoung’s attitude was also subjected to strict criticism by netizens. Here are some comments from Chinese fans:

From watching the video, it can be observed that her attitude appears to be quite indifferent.
Fans who have a negative experience with fan calls and choose to leave the fandom often wonder why there are some individuals who loudly curse, despite never having spent money on the fandom.
Truly a lot of money… For us, it’s just a short minute of video. For Jang Wonyoung, it’s just one of countless tasks. But for that other fan, it’s fervent passion
Is it true that idols don’t know how much money fans spend to participate in fancall events? No matter how tired they are, they should still do their job well

In general, there is a widespread consensus among people that the fan’s decision to leave the fandom was justified, as they condemned Jang Wonyoung for her perceived lack of respect during fan calls.

Despite criticism, there are also many who defend Jang Wonyoung, citing her careful communication and controlled expressions as evidence. As a result, it is understandable that there may be misunderstandings about her perceived indifference.

In fact, Korean netizens have always regarded Jang Wonyoung as a “professional idol”who puts in her best effort to maintain her “idol persona.”They also admire her mindset.

The source of the information is K14, and it can be found on Weibo at the link provided.