On August 17, Monday, ITZY revealed a video called "Letters to MIDZY" at the end of their comeback showcase for "NO SHY." There, each member spoke about the difficulties they face as idols.
Member Ryujin talked about the misogyny the group has faced as they promoted; when people compliment, there is always a need to add "for a girl group." Ryujin shared her wish to be seen as just herself, without any prejudice and judgment.
She says that the girls practice hard for their performance, every day, for hours on end. But when people compliment ITZY, most people say, "For a girl group, your performance is cool," implying that girl groups perform a certain way that isn't necessarily looked at as cool. The idol states that she knows the people who compliment them have no ill intentions, but they don't seem like compliments to her.
The idol stated they never performed and practicing with their gender in mind. With that, she hopes that people, in the end, will appreciate the performance as is. Ryujin stated that she wants her performance to be compliments without anyone binding them to a certain bias. "I want to be complimented," she said. "Without our performance being relative to anything else." She hopes people will compliment them just for being cool, without feeling the need to mention "for a girl group."
She additionally mentioned that the ITZY girls all try to be skinny. However, it is not for aesthetic purposes, though that is part of the job. The girls of ITZY try to be skin because it makes the performance more eye-catching, and it makes it easier for them to dance. Additionally, it allows them to wear a wider spectrum of costume choices. She expresses that she does not feel a need to be skinny for aesthetic purposes, but that's not the case. Not all girl groups do it to look pretty; most do it to make their dance look cleaner.
Many netizens complimented Ryujin for her honesty, as well as for ITZY and their amazing performances. Check out netizen's comments here:
"I understand where Ryujin is coming from. I admit, I sometimes think 'these girls dance pretty well for a girl group' when I see some girl group performances, so I will stop using that expression from now on."
"ITZY is really good at dancing, it doesn't matter if they are girls."
"Ryuji is cool for being able to voice this."
"If someone gets complimented that way, of course, it doesn't sound like a compliment."
"What Ryujin said is right. Just say, 'You're cool', without the 'for a girl group' comment."
"ITZY will become a top girl group just because of their performance."
"I hope you guys become more successful."
The other ITZY members also shared their difficulties. Lia talked about the difficulties she faces when her abilities, especially in dance, are compared to other members. Yeji talked about the pressure of being a leader and the responsibilities she faces. Yuna talked about the sadness she feels when she realizes she is prioritizing how other people view her.
Check out the whole video here:
