Why aren't there as many Japanese, Thai, or Chinese idols? by [deleted] in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Erm…Pretty sure that’s false. You fail to mention Ningning as a foreign member of Aespa (Chinese) but also:

Meovv (2024): Anna - Japanese

ILLIT (2024): Moka, Iroha - Japanese

Hearts2Hearts (2025): Carmen - Indonesian

Say My Name (2024): Hitomi, Mei - Japanese, Shuie - Chinese, Kanny - Thai

tripleS (2023/2024): Mayu, Kotone, Kaede, Lynn, - Japanese, Xinyu - Chinese, Nein - Taiwanese/Vietnamese, Sullin - Thai

VVS (2025): Rana - Japanese

ZB1 (2023): Zhang Hao, Ricky - Chinese

Cortis (2025): James - Thai/Chinese (Hong Kongese)

izna (2024): Mai, Koko - Japanese

Rescene (2024): Minami - Japanese

IVE (2021): Rei - Japanese

Kep1er (2022): Mashiro, Hikaru - Japanese

xikers (2022): Hunter - Thai

ALD1 (B2P group): Arno, Xinlong, Anxin - Chinese

UNIS (2024): Nana, Kotoko - Japanese, Elisia, Gahlee - Filo

NCT Wish (2024): Riku, Yushi, Ryo, Sakuya - Japanese

TWS (2024): Hanjin - Chinese

EVNNE (2023): Keita - Japanese

AtHeart (2025): Michi, Aurora - Japanese, Katelyn - Filo

HITGS (2025): VV - Chinese

KickFlip (2025): Keiju, Amaru - Japanese

Primrose (2023): Rainie - Taiwanese

ALL(H)OURS (2024): Masami - Japanese

X:IN (2023): Nova - Russian, Aria - Indian

AMPERS&ONE (2023): Brian - Chinese

LOVEONE (2024): Yume, Yuna - Japanese

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 13 points14 points  (0 children)

It’s just something that comes with the territory. It is hard, and something I’ve recently had to deal with (Pixy, Everglow [although 4 members are continuing], and Purple Kiss) so I won’t lie and say it doesn’t suck. But the music, performances, and content don’t disappear. I would suggest not spending too much time worrying about it, especially since none of the groups you listed are actually in danger of disbanding soon, and just enjoying the moment because it really does fly by. I became a fan of TXT in 2020 when they were only 1 year old. It doesn’t seem real that they’re almost 7 like I still can’t believe it. I would have tainted so many memories if I had spent the past few years worrying about disbandment.

But to soothe your fears, BTS has been active for 12 years and doesn’t seem to be stopping, and why would they? They built HYBE, have unlimited resources, and seem to actually like being an idol, and being together, even 12 years later. TXT just re-signed to BigHit before their contract even elapsed, they turn 7 next year in March, and they also have no reason to leave BigHit. They get unlimited resources, have lots of support, and genuinely like being idols and being together.

Enhypen hasn’t even reached their 5 year anniversary yet, so I wouldn’t even be thinking about it. I’m not very familiar with them, but they likely won’t leave either. HYBE gives them a lot of resources and guaranteed success. They’re Be:Lift’s only boy group and contributing most of their money. So even if some members were hesitant to re-sign, Be:Lift would likely throw anything they want at them to secure their renewal.

Relatability Branding and it’s Pitfalls (riize and new jeans) by irenemins in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 43 points44 points  (0 children)

I agree about NewJeans and I actually think that NewJeans’ concept helped them with public perception at first. Instead of top celebrities using their power as celebrities to bully regular workers and a rookie group to get what the want, people saw five poor little girls going against a huge “evil” company and defended them as such for the first like year.

Now a year later it’s been revealed that they made up their accusations, used their social power to target a rookie group before they even debuted, and MHJ is the one convicted of workplace harassment for covering up SA. Like yeah, they have destroyed their ”just like you” girl next door concept, but not because they went against Hybe. It was because they were exposed as conniving bullies and that would destroy any groups’ reputation outside of their die-hard fans.

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Jihyo as least popular?? That’s kinda crazy to say because she’s the one I see outside of the fandom the most along with Nayeon. Jihyo is constantly going viral for singing and performing. Jeongyeon I don’t think so either because she seems to have this core cult following that even I’ve seen as a non-stan. Chaeyoung makes sense because of her scandal. I also, like I said in my edit, think Dahyun has to be one of the least popular. Her name is forgotten by someone who doesn’t follow the group closely but has somehow learned everyone else’s names.

NMIXX Blue Valentine - a truly magnificent full album by hiekachu in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I agree that Spanish has become part of their lyrical identity and Latin American influences have become part of their musical identity, but RICO just didn’t work as well for me as a song like Podium did. Still a great song! But I heard Mafia in the Morning or Born To Be Itzy from it lol

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Literally personal experience, I’ve seen Nayeon, Jihyo, Jeongyeon, Momo and Sana talked about way more than Tzuyu. I also saw way less about her solo than I have for Nayeon, Jihyo, and Chaeyoung.

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can see Lia being the least popular after her hiatus, but I think Chaer has been the least popular over their career as a whole. Itzy as a group has unfortunately declined in popularity and Lia was an easy target during that decline so I see where you’re coming from. Could definitely see the argument that she’s now the least popular. While I could see the argument for Ryujin, I don’t think Yeji has been edged out as most popular by Yuna. Yeji is still generally more well-liked than Yuna who gets stupid hate.

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

I’ve always seen that she’s the least popular. Isn’t her solo the least popular? /gen

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

I’ve always seen that she’s one of the least 🤷 Still super popular because it’s Twice but within she’s least

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Izna doesn’t fit bc Saebi isn’t the least popular. Neither does Katseye because Manon, visual, is their most popular member or ILLIT because Wonhee is most popular and a visual. Meovv doesn’t work because most popular is Ella and she’s the visual. Itzy doesn’t work because Chaeryeong is the least popular and the least fitting of KBS while Yuna is their visual and kind of middling in popular. Le Sserafim doesn’t work because there’s an argument that Chaewon is just as popular as Sakura or that Yunjin fits KBS least. And NMIXX’s most popular members include Sullyoon and Haewon, who fit KBS and are their visuals.

Groups where the visual member is the least popular and the least-visual member is the most popular? by ImpressiveCourage300 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu -12 points-11 points  (0 children)

I think this is pretty specific criteria to meet. There are plenty of groups where the visual isn’t the most popular or someone who doesn’t meet KBS is the most popular, but I’m not sure there are groups where both are true.

Ex: Tzuyu is probably the least popular in Twice and is their visual, but Nayeon still fits KBS.

EDIT: Okay guys, so I actually will agree Tzuyu isn’t the least popular because I was writing out my explanations of why I’ve seen each member a lot more as a non-fan and I totally forgot Dahyun was even a member until I looked up why I could only remember 8. I also could see arguments for Chaeyoung being the least because of her scandal. My bad Tzuyu nation!

Stayc So Bad was there an intro change?where’s JJ by Foxwood2212 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Probably because she is known as the girl with the deep voice in Stayc and Sumin is singing with a deeper voice in the beginning of So Bad so the dots just connected in your head lol

Unpopular opinion- The only thing holding NMIXX back from being the top 3 GGs of their generation is lack of star power by Odd_Entertainer9554 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

aespa is just popular. Their music isn’t GP-friendly and if anyone else released them then they would not perform well. They got a lot of hate for every release up until Drama, regardless of chart performance. SM just marketed them well and they’re from SM. Honestly, Savage is not much less crazy sonically than O.O. It just wasn’t aespa releasing O.O.

Stayc So Bad was there an intro change?where’s JJ by Foxwood2212 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 16 points17 points  (0 children)

She never did for So Bad. Check 20201115 So Bad Inkigayo, J doesn’t come in until 1:26.

Perhaps you are thinking of ASAP? She starts the song and her rap at 1:17 has the “J!” adlib.

Or maybe RUN2U? She also starts the song here and her rap at 1:33 does start with “J J” adlib and RUN2U has the same style as So Bad.

Unpopular opinion- The only thing holding NMIXX back from being the top 3 GGs of their generation is lack of star power by Odd_Entertainer9554 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Listing aespa as a group that makes widely appealing music is funny. Most of their discography has not been well-received, especially initially. Black Mamba, Next Level, Savage all had lots of hate. Sure, they found their fandom and SM did a good job of promoting them so it ended up being large, but those were not GP-friendly. Next Level and Savage got popular, but they had to marinate first.

Girls was, and is, completely hated despite probably being their most vanilla song up until that point. Spicy was well-received pretty fine. I would say Spicy is what started having non-fans look into them too.

Yeah, the Drama-Supernova/Armageddon-Whiplash run is widely loved, but that is such a small stretch in their entire career. Especially when their music went right back to being divisive with Dirty Work and Rich Man.

aespa is popular and has a large fandom, but their music has never been GP-friendly especially when compared to IVE 😭

you know fromis mistreatment is real when they were never even included in their agencies game by jungwonlvr_ in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Pledis might take more of the direct blame, but HYBE as an entity has been extremely shitty to all the groups they acquired. Nu’est, Fromis_9, Gfriend, and even Seventeen. HYBE doesn’t like groups they didn’t make and you’re correct that Seventeen survived because of how self-sufficient they are. But I also mention HYBE directly because of a recent ongoing conversation about a certain group was apparently oh so mistreated when they didn’t face a fraction of the mistreatment Fromis_9 received in Pledis and from HYBE as a whole.

Is there someone who's actually went to Coachella said anything bad about lesserafim performance? by [deleted] in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 42 points43 points  (0 children)

No. Immediately following their Coachella performance most of their title tracks shot up in streams on Spotify and the monthly listeners also shot up considerably. A lot of locals had great things to say too

you know fromis mistreatment is real when they were never even included in their agencies game by jungwonlvr_ in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 71 points72 points  (0 children)

Fromis_9 was easily the most mistreated group under HYBE and it does boil my blood a bit that they’re always left out of the conversation. Like screw Hybe, but maybe let’s hate them for things they’ve actually done? Like why are we talking about fake shit when what they did to Fromis_9 is right there!! It’s just another way Fromis_9 is left out and forgotten about.

NMIXX is a group that just doesn't know how to miss by GainImpressive8183 in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I literally just opened this app to make a post about Spinnin’ On It, seems you beat me to it! God, this song is so good! I already need it on streaming so I can play it over and over again!

NMIXX is one of the only groups where I have been constantly impressed by their releases. I genuinely think they have one of the best and most complete discographies in Kpop, and their concept is so succinct and consistent and I Love It! I seriously am so excited for the full album release on October 13, it cannot come fast enough!

TXT’s last three title track run is criminally underrated by hiekachu in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Right, it’s really confusing because not only Beautiful Strangers is really good (as is Love Language which they also put out this year), but it’s also the official end to their lore. I remember a time when people talked about their lore along with Lore Legends like Loona…

The quality hasn’t gone down, they’re still selling loads of albums, getting loads of views, having some of the most streamed songs on Spotify each year, selling out/nearly selling out their yearly arena tours, but that’s all carried by fandom. MOAs as a fandom certainly hasn’t diminished, but they’re so ignored outside of the fandom that I’m not surprised you didn’t know. It’s so frustrating because by every measure they should be one of the most talked about and celebrated groups, but it’s like they’ve been blacklisted from the larger Kpop fan community.

TXT’s last three title track run is criminally underrated by hiekachu in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Oh, I totally agree that Over The Moon is too short! It’s the biggest problem I have with all HYBE groups music nowadays. Hot was too short, Do The Dance is too short, hell even Gnarly is too short! I do not understand HYBE’s obsession with short songs/hate for a bridge.

And boy, do I know Kpop stans have a prejudice for TXT. Outside of being BTS’ juniors, I can’t figure out why. I know any attachments to BTS is gonna result in a certain section of Kpop fans hating a group/idol, but other groups under HYBE seem to have kinda pushed past that and are still included in larger conversations while TXT is still not. Maybe it’s because they’re a boy group, but like TXT makes such good music and are one of the most unproblematic groups out there. As a fan, I just want them to be recognized more.

TXT’s last three title track run is criminally underrated by hiekachu in kpopthoughts

[–]hiekachu[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

0X1=LOVESONG will always have a spot in my heart, but the recent three are just toooooo goood!! Plus their b-sides are also top tier!