After winning first on a music broadcast, LE SSERAFIM received criticism as netizens think it's absurd that they beat national singer Lim Young Woong.
LE SSERAFIM Wins First Place on 'Music Bank'
On KBS 2TV's "Music Bank," which aired on the afternoon of May 13, Lim Young Woong's "If We Ever Meet Again" and LE SSERAFIM's "FEARLESS" were nominated for the first place in the second week of May.
During the announcement, the rookie girl group scored a total of 7,881 points, with 5,348 points in the broadcasts, 544 points in the music charts, 1,955 points in the record/album, and 34 points in the social media category.
ALSO READ: LE SSERAFIM's Debut a Success? 7 Best Achievements of Group So Far
Meanwhile, Lim Young Woong was ahead with 1,148 points for music charts and 5,885 points for record/album but failed to score any point in the broadcasts. As a result, the national singer ranked second by a narrow margin with a total score of 7,035 points.
When LE SSERAFIM was announced as the winner for this week's broadcast, the sextet was surprised. They delivered their message of thanks to HYBE officials and to their fans who supported their release.
LE SSERAFIM, 'Music Bank' Criticized After Lim Young Woong Loses Against Group
Although the fandom of LE SSERAFIM rejoiced for the rookie's new achievement, some fans of the male singer and Korean viewers who heard the news are showing a cold response.
Internet users criticized the show first, saying:
"It's a broadcast point bank."
"What a fair ranking (sarcastic)"
"The era of awarding music albums with a point of focus has come."
"Does it make sense to have more than 5,000 points?"
"The group on the right has become the No. 1? Who are they?"
In particular, the netizens questioned the show for giving Lim 0 on the broadcast point, and give full points to LE SSERAFIM for their appearance.
Due to this, not only did KBS 2TV's "Music Bank" receive the rage of web users, but they also raised their brows to LE SSERAFIM. The critics raised suspicion about the "fairness" of the rankings, where a newcomer won against a top singer.
People emphasized that compared to the group, Lim Young Woong sold more than 1.1 million albums, higher than LE SSERAFIM's record of 300,000 sales. In context, album sales are a huge indicator to measure the popularity of an artist, based on its fandom's purchasing power.
Amid the situation, a Korean Dailian reporter even wrote a review expressing their insight on the ranking result, saying:
"Of course, LE SSERAFIM is also a star, so they will receive attention and love from many people, but they cannot be like Lim Young Woong, who is already a national singer."
Adding:
"If the number of broadcast appearances can be increased by the influence of a large entertainment company, the fairness can also be questioned. In the meantime, the broadcasting company's music rankings have not received much credibility, but this situation is likely to further erode credibility."
READ MORE: LE SSERAFIM Encore Stage on ‘The Show’ Draws Mixed Reviews
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Written by Eunice Dawson
