Former IZ*ONE member Honda Hitomi attracted attention following her recent status in Japan as AKB48.
AKB48 Honda Hitomi Surprises With Gyaru Look
On May 31, former K-pop idol Honda Hitomi showcased her status in Japan by releasing new photos on her Instagram account. In one photo, the "Violeta" singer amassed attention with her dark eye makeup.
Looking closely, she wore blue eyeshadow on her lids and her eyes stood out even more after adding black eyeliner and a thick layer of mascara. Hitomi also added a spoonful of fresh colors by using light blush and lip balm that balanced her overall look.
ALSO READ: Former IZ*ONE Hitomi Current Status in Japan Draws Divided Opinions – Here's Why
In addition, Hitomi wore a T-shirt with "Y2K" and pulled off a Japanese retro concept.
She perfectly reproduced the emotions of the 2000s, not only by makeup but also by wearing stockings with butterfly prints, colored hairpins, and bags of fur.
The idol also showed off her unique nail art and pigtails, exuding a lot of different charms that she had not shown so far.
Along with her, former IZ*ONE and current co-member AKB48 Yabuki Nako also flaunted her cute visual as gyaru girls (gal).
Honda Hitomi's Image in IZ*ONE vs AKB48
With these photos, K-pop fans, especially WIZ*ONE (IZ*ONE fandom), expressed their surprise at Hitomi's image change that digests the "Gyaru makeup and look." She even did the popular pose "Gyaru peace."
In context, Honda Hitomi's overall look is trendy among idols these days. It highlights the eyes with heavy makeup, representing the Japanese sub-culture.
Although the reactions from fans were positive, some Koreans have mixed reactions to Hitomi's brand new image.
This is because it is very different from when she was in IZ*ONE where she mainly showcased an innocent and cute styling during her activities in Korea. Honda Hitomi received lots of love from 2018 to 2021 as she promoted under the now disbanded idol group.
Some expressed feeling sentimental that Hitomi is drifting away from her K-pop idol image.
This is because until now, Korean supporters still desire for the AKB48 member's return to Korea and re-debut in the K-pop scene, just like LE SSERAFIM Sakura, a former AKB48 and IZ*ONE as well.
On her Instagram post, some fans left comments such as:
"Please come back to Korea."
"Who are you? waah."
"Hitomi, when are you coming back here?"
On the flip side, there are K-pop fans who conveyed their support for Hitomi as current Japanese idol and praised her confidence to try new concepts and images, which she wasn't able to do while she was promoting in IZ*ONE.
What are your thoughts on this?
READ MORE: Honda Hitomi Net Worth 2022: How Wealthy is the Former IZ*ONE Member?
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Written by Eunice Dawson
