The IZ*ONE members appeared completely downcast during their first appearance aftermath the controversy suggesting Mnet manipulated them.
After the Seoul High Court revealed which trainees were unfairly eliminated during not only "Produce 48", but all the other "Produce" seasons, IZ*ONE is receiving major hate as Korean netizens slam the group for having members who did not "deserve" to debut. The Seoul High Court did not reveal which trainees benefitted from the manipulation. As IZ*ONE is the only "Produce" group currently actively promoting, and they are receiving a huge chunk of the hate.
In recently released photos of the girls, the members appeared to look, unlike their usual selves. While the girls usually do their best to smile and appear happy in the cameras, they appeared extremely upset and broken. It seemed they could not muster the strength to do so.
Miyawaki Sakura was seen disheartened, with a cold, stoic face. Usually, Sakura is one of the members that is known for her positive attitude, strong mentality, and cheerful smile. Now, however, it appears she could not help but show her sadness. This alarmed fans and many wondered if Sakura had seen all the reports and comments.
Choi Yena looks visibly upset in her photos as she tries to put on her jacket. However, some fans expect that she is trying to cover her face from cameras. Many fans were worried about the idols, as Yena is known as the vitamin of the group. It's rare for fans to see Yena sad, as she is usually the energizer who is always smiling and laughing.
While Jo Yuri was only photographed from the side, people claim they can still see the sadness in her expression. It appears she cannot hide her sadness, and it's not hard to see why. Her name, and all the other members' names, were dragged into Mnet's mess.
Lastly, Jang Wonyoung, who ranked at number one on "Produce 48" and debuted as the center of IZ*ONE, was seen looking absolutely disheartened. Her face looked blank, and her eyes look red and puffy, which led people to speculate that she had been crying. Fans hope she did not read all the hateful comments and headlines made regarding her and her group.
Fans were upset to see the girls looking so dejected. Some fans and Korean netizens took to numerous online community forums to speculate what could have caused them to be so upset.
Read their comments here:
"It is so sad that they look so disheartened."
"They are probably unhappy because the list of trainees was revealed,"
"How can they be happy when they were put in a situation such as this?"
"It's so sad. The members who benefitted from the vote manipulation don't even know who they are."
"I would be downcast too if I found out that the group I was in was formed through manipulated votes."
Others, however, refute all the claims made by fans. Some say that just a few photos of the girls does not mean they are actually sad and that there could be multiple other reasons why the members of IZ*ONE look so dejected.
"Come on, how can people be happy 365 days a year? Stop spreading such ridiculous comments."
"Why? Are you guys always happy while you are at work?"
"These photos were taken in just one moment. The girls probably look happier in other photos taken that day."
"Honestly, they look like they just woke up."
What do you think of the situation?
For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.
Owned by KpopStarz
Written by Alexa L.
