Despite facing backlash from Korean netizens due to recent controversies, LE SSERAFIM remains the first girl group to debut under HYBE. They have earned the nickname “BTS’s little sister”and have achieved remarkable success in a short period of time.
The Start of Criticism at Coachella
In 2024, there was a lot of excitement when LE SSERAFIM was announced as part of the Coachella lineup. Fans were anticipating legendary performances from the girl group, following in the footsteps of their seniors 2NE1, BLACKPINK, and aespa. Unfortunately, their Coachella performances ended up being the most humiliating moments of their career.
Despite having only performed 2-3 songs, LE SSERAIFIM’s poor live singing skills were immediately criticized on social media. Many Korean netizens expressed their disappointment and embarrassment with the girl group’s continuous cracks and bad singing, stating that the performance could not be considered true “K-pop”.
Controversy over dance challenge with Zico, who just collaborated with BLACKPINK’s Jennie
Zico’s collaboration with BLACKPINK’s Jennie on his comeback song “SPOT!”has been making headlines.
Despite the various issues within HYBE, including LE SSERAFIM’s poor singing skills and internal conflict, fans and netizens had mixed reactions when Zico uploaded a dance challenge video with the girl group, who are signed to a different label under HYBE. As a result, a number of individuals expressed concerns that this collaboration could have a negative impact on Zico’s image and promotional activities.
Member Eunchae’s Expression as Music Bank MC Draws Criticism
Despite the negative reception of LE SSERAFIM’s Coachella performances, Eunchae was one of the most heavily criticized members for her inability to hit the correct notes. Upon returning to Korea, she appeared on Music Bank as an MC, wearing a sorrowful expression.
During a broadcast in April, the youngest member of LE SSERAFIM appeared downcast and did not display as many expressions as she had in the past. Due to the criticism she received after Coachella, netizens perceived her attitude as an MC to be unprofessional. Some even called for Eunchae to step down from her MC position.
Netizens brought up controversies at Bruno Mars concert
Amidst the ongoing discussions surrounding LE SSERAFIM’s controversies, there has been renewed scrutiny of the girl group’s attendance at Bruno Mars’ concert. In June 2023, Bruno Mars performed at the Hyundai Card Super Concert 27, which drew numerous K-pop celebrities to attend and enjoy the show.
Initially, the video of LE SSERAFIM arriving at the concert venue created a lot of commotion. Numerous individuals criticized the girls for not only being tardy, but also using a popular celebrity’s concert as an opportunity to film promotional content and garner attention.
In addition to those incidents, LE SSERAFIM was involved in the dispute between their parent company HYBE and ADOR’s CEO Min Hee-jin, which caused the delay of NewJeans’ debut.
Despite the controversies, LE SSERAFIM was unable to joyfully celebrate their 2nd debut anniversary. The group has also faced the most criticism among current K-pop girl groups. Consequently, fans are eagerly anticipating their upcoming comeback in hopes of improving their image and restoring their honor.
Leave a Reply