Recently, LE SSERAFIM's Sakura found herself in the spotlight, but not for the reasons she might have hoped. During an encore performance, she was required to sing without any backing track, and her nervousness was evident.
The scrutiny that encore stages have been receiving is believed to have contributed to Sakura's discomfort. What was once a fun interaction with fans has become another metric for the public to judge talent.
This incident has ignited a debate among K-Pop fans about the role of criticism. Many of Sakura's fans defended her, sympathizing with her nerves and lashing out at those who criticized her. They argued that the criticism only made Sakura more fearful.
However, others argued that criticism is a necessary part of being an idol. After all, being an idol is not just a passion project, it's a job. And like any job, if you don't meet expectations, you may face criticism.
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Criticism, when it's constructive and not malicious, isn't a form of hate. It can help identify areas for improvement.
In Sakura's case, some felt that despite her years in the industry, she hadn't shown significant improvement. While some fans argue that her time in AKB48 didn't include formal training, others believe that shouldn't excuse her lack of progress.
The trend of overprotecting idols has become more prevalent with newer generations. As K-Pop's popularity grows and its fanbase expands internationally, many fans have become fiercely defensive of their idols, attacking anyone who disagrees. Some believe this has led to a less vibrant industry.
This overprotectiveness, or "toxic positivity" as one netizen called it, can stifle growth in the industry and among idols. The challenge arises when fans blur the line between the idol as a performer and as a person.
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Yes, idols are human beings offstage, but onstage, they're part of an industry where they have a job to do. Part of that job involves becoming a "product" of their company.
As much as fans might not like to hear it, the industry is consumer-driven, and idols are there to deliver. Sometimes, it's the fans who struggle to differentiate between "the idol" and "the person."
Here are some comments from netizens:
"Encore stages were never about how good you sing live. That's what the actual stages are for. Kpop fans have ruined something that used to be just artists having fun with their fans."
"Sakura looked like she was about to cry on that encore stage. The bullying she has received is truly evil. It's heartbreaking to see her scared on stage because she knows people will criticize her. Kpop fans can be absolutely disgusting."
"Being an idol is a job. She chose that path so she should find ways to excel. Just like a normal employee, you get criticized and receive feedback if you're not doing well, and worst-case scenario, you get fired. We shouldn't normalize being okay with minimal improvements."
"Criticism isn't hate. Sakura has been in the industry for 12 years, which is only three years less than Taemin. If Taemin went from a poor singer to being comparable to main vocalists, what's stopping her?!"
"The reason Kpop is so stagnant right now is because of people like you. You all can't criticize idols who are underperforming."
What are your thoughts?
Source[1]
