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An anonymous user posted pictures of IVE from their latest fan meet at the KBS Music Bank recording on Pann Nate to prove that they have gained weight and wished for them to lose some. The blog, posted on September 16 has 160k views and 497 dislikes. Unlike other posts, this particular one had the majority of comments defending the members.
Trigger warning: Fat phobia
IVE is the latest girl group to be involved in a controversy regarding weight gain. The six-member group includes Yujin (19), Gaeul (20), Rei (18), Wonyoung (18), Liz (18), and Leeseo (15).
A netizen on a popular South Korean online forum pitted them against rookie groups including LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans, and asked why the agency was not managing their weight gain.
They posted photos of the group members to prove their point. However, both South Korean and international netizens were not having any of it. They instantly rose up to defend the young girls.
Pann Nate user makes a distasteful blog about IVE members' weight, draws flak from netizens
The rookie girl group has been breaking records and winning hearts since their debut last year in December. They hit a triple success streak when all three of their tracks, ELEVEN, LOVE DIVE, and After LIKE instantly ranked number one on music charts and earned them numerous wins.
However, a K-netizen drew up issues with the members’ weights. The user specifically mentioned Yujin and Leeseo’s bodies and how they had more fat on their upper body, saying:
“Liz already gained weight so everyone has been swarming towards Liz, meanwhile Rei has gained weight that’s gone past the point of looking cute and let her be, and Yujin and Leeseo's arms are becoming so chubby…”
They also discounted Wonyoung and Gaeul for being thin, but then raised an off-putting question:
“Wonyoung and Gaeul seem to have slim body types so they're not gaining weight but for the other four members, even if you just look at their group fancam, they dance so dull... Why isn’t Starship making them manage their weight gain like WJSN and Sistar?”
They continued to compare the members with two new girl groups and their diets, as they said:
“NewJeans eat celery and carrots as snacks but they eat bulgogi rice bowls and other snacks that are fatty. Seriously they're not even like LE SSERAFIM who are always working out and look strong either.”
The post did not sit right with many readers, irrespective of them being IVE fans or not. A netizen even uploaded a full image of the group at the same event. The photo was meant to show that the members did not in fact look like they needed to lose weight.
Meanwhile, the girl group recently made their comeback with the chart-topping single, After LIKE. They’re one of the top competitors for Rookie of The Year and Song of The Year awards this year.
