Each member adds something to the group. Each member is a vital part of the group. Despite many fans knowing this, some Korean netizens have still nitpicked at some K-pop idols, calling them talentless and worthless. However, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Here are 9 K-pop idols who were slammed for being "talentless," but are actually extremely talented!
1. Red Velvet Yeri
Yeri was added to Red Velvet a year after the group's debut and received major backlash from those who had liked seeing Red Velvet as four-members. She was slammed for every little thing, with people saying she could not dance as well as Seulgi, could not sing as well as Wendy, had a vocal color that was not as good as Joy's, and was not as pretty as Irene. She was labeled as the group's talentless member.
This is far from the truth, of course. Yeri has proven herself to be am amazing song-writing and lyricist, writing, and producing music for not just Red Velvet but for others as well since 2017. In fact, the first time she took part in writing lyrics and producing music was for an artist called Ragoon in 2017 for the song "Story."
READ ALSO: Red Velvet Yeri Skincare Routine: Here's Her 3-Step Morning Regimen
Additionally, Yeri was the first member to debut as a soloist. In 2019, she released her song "Dear Diary" as part of SM Station Season 3, and many complimented the idol for being able to stand alone as an artist without her group.
She has also proved herself as an amazing TV personality and has been active in numerous television programs since 2015. Now, she is the host of her own talk show called "Yeri's Room."
2. (G)I-DLE Shuhua
Shuhua has been called "talentless" ever since her debut, with people slamming her for her vocal abilities, apparent lack of stage presence, and even her appearance. Many people seem to forget that Shuhua is a foreigner who moved to a different country all alone to pursue her dream of being an idol and is still in the process of learning Korean. Since she is still learning Korean, she is often given fewer lines compared to other members. Despite that, many people have complimented her vocal color.
She has also proved her stage presence with songs like "Hann" and "LION." In "Hann," Shuhua is giving a small dance solo, showing her beautiful dance lines and soft and graceful movements.
READ ALSO: 10 K-Pop Girl Groups With Three or More Visual Members: BLACKPINK, TWICE, More
In "LION," Shuhua was praised for her amazing facials. They had performed the song on "Queendom" and Shuhua was given the intro. Many people praised the idol for her command of the stage and had complimented her so much, and she cried when fans yelled at to her, telling her she did well.
Though Shuhua hasn't been giving as many lines, many have come forward to praise her deep, rich vocals. Leader Siyeon had even said that once Shuhua starts singing more, they'll be shocked by how good she is, and said her voice is a mix of member Yuqi and Miyeon's voices.
3. Red Velvet Irene
Leader Irene always has eyes on her, but it rarely for her talent. Irene is known as the visual of the group and is always complimented for her looks, which causes many people to undermine her actual talents. Many forget that Irene trained for five years and is an amazing idol full of talents.
During her time with SM Rookies, many had wondered if Irene would be the main dancer of Red Velvet or if it would be Seulgi, as the girls were both amazing dancers. Irene was a serious contender for the main dancer position, but it was instead given to Seulgi.
Still, Irene is the lead dancer of the group and is incredibly flexible, fluid, and has a good sense of rhythm and musicality. She brings a lot of attitude to her performance, which can be seen especially when the group performs their "Velvet" style songs.
READ ALSO: Red Velvet Irene's Reality Show Draws Mixed Reactions- Here's Why
Her vocals are also severely overlooked. The idol has showcased her soft and versatility vocals on numerous occasions, even performing with Super Junior on their song "Lo Siento." She had also proved that she is a capable vocalist when she debuted in the first Red Velvet sub-unit with Seulgi and released the song "Monster."
4. BTS Jin
During BTS's early years, Jin was seen as merely the visual member. He was one of the members who had struggled the most with choreography as he had no experience with dancing prior to his training and debut.
Because of this, some fans, to this day, still make fun of him for not being as good as a dancer as the members. Many forget that Jin had signed with Big Hit Entertainment to be an actor, and had to hone his talents from scratch to become the great vocalist and dancer he is today.
Throughout the years, Jin has shown incredible growth. An idol trainer (인지웅Korean K-pop idol trainer on YouTube) has even complimented his growth, citing how in 2013, Jin looked unnatural as he danced and could hardly control his breathing. He was an idol who put too much focus on getting the moves right, so he would look stiff as he danced.
READ ALSO: MTV VMAs 2022: BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, More K-pop Artists Nominated
Fast forward to 2020, and he said that Jin's improvement is amazing. He knows how to control his breathing, and he has a better understanding of dance proportions and dance lines. He has become so good that he adds his own style to the dance. This should especially be complimented, as Jin had to take much time and effort to keep up with the other members who are more experienced than him.
Jin has also worked hard to improve on his vocals. As he did not naturally have vocal talent, he had to practice hard on his technique to become the vocalist he is today. He proved his vocal ability with his 2016 solo "Awake," showcasing high notes that fans adore.
5. BLACKPINK Jisoo
Like Irene and Jin, Jisoo has been disregarded as the visual member of the group, which causes people to overlook her talents. Many have also slammed the idol for her dancing. Some people have said that when she dances, she just looks like she's waving her hands in the air. She is often compared to the dance-line of her group and is made to look not as good in comparison.
However, many note that Jisoo has improved vastly with each comeback. Additionally, Jisoo's body is not suited for dancing - her legs are short, her torso is underdeveloped, and her hands are not big enough to fit the ideal dancer's body.
READ ALSO: BLACKPINK Jisoo Hailed as 'Most Beautiful Woman in the World 2022' + Tzuyu, Lisa Enter Top 3
Despite that, she has worked hard to improve her dancing with every comeback and has kept up with the increasing difficulty of BLACKPINK's choreography, proving her talents and skills.
The idol also has a unique vocal color, characterized by her deep, husky voice. She is the alto of the group and adds more dimension to the group's songs. Additionally, she is comfortable and rarely strains her voice. Most of BLACKPINK's songs revolve around a falsetto's range, however.
To clearly show off her vocals, she needs to be given a song with a lower register.
6. TWICE Sana, Dahyun, and Tzuyu
These three TWICE members received flak during their early years. Sana was known as merely the cute member of the group, Dahyun was known for being funny, and Tzuyu was known as the visual. Above that, however, most people did not recognize these girls' talents.
However, the girls are incredibly talented. Sana has proven herself to be one of the group's best dancers, with clean and precise dance lines. She has also proved herself as a stable vocalist and has been given more and more (see what I did there?) lines with each comeback.
READ ALSO: Media Outlet Predicts TWICE Members' Solo, Sub-Unit to Look Forward After Nayeon
Dahyun has also proved herself as a rapper, being the sole rap line to rap in "Feel Special." She has also improved immensely with dancing, becoming less stiff with her movements with each comeback.
Tzuyu, on the other hand, has become a much stronger vocalist, and can be seen by the fast she is given more difficult lines with each new release.
Tzuyu, the lead dancer of the group, has proven that she is an amazing dancer despite her long limbs, often going the extra mile (like bending her knees) make sure the overall performance is balanced and harmonious.
7. ITZY Lia
Lia received criticism ever since ITZY's debut, saying that she was unfit for the main vocal position and that her dance abilities were lacking in comparison to the members. Some even went as far as to call her lazy.
However, Lia's voice is naturally of a lower register, which means she had to train extra hard to pull off the higher-range songs of ITZY.
Many fans have dug out old pre-debut videos that show Lia's true vocal range, and it shows that most of ITZY's songs are out of her range. If she was given a song with a lower register, she would be able to showcase her vocal ability more.
READ ALSO: ITZY Lia Addresses 'Colorist' Remark About Chaeryeong- Here's What Happened
In "Letters to MIDZY," Lia revealed that she is aware that when compared to her other members, she is not as well-developed as a dancer. She revealed that though she is trying her best, she is naturally not a good dancer, which has taken a toll on her self-confidence.
Despite that, the idol keeps on practicing, practicing until she is shaking from exhaustion, all for the sake of the performance. Fans have seen her grow with each and every comeback, and the fact that she is able to keep up with every new challenging choreography proves that her dance skills are constantly improving.
