In an online community, THIS artist under SM Entertainment became the center of mockery for his "below average" visuals compared to other idols within the same label.
On June 7, an internet user took to Nate Pann to share pre-debut photos of NCT WISH Kim Daeyoung, also known as Jaehee.
The photos appeared to be taken from his graduation yearbook, showcasing his looks when he wasn't an idol yet.
Upon posting, the article amassed about 150k views, piquing the interest of a lot of K-netz and K-pop fans. As the photos spread more, it eventually sparked a heated debate, after the idol was mocked by netizens for his visuals.
Looking at the images, some web users were surprised about the stark difference between Jaehee's "Before and After" appearance.
Malicious comments calling him "ordinary" and "below average" were written in the blog, questioning SM Entertainment how he was able to debut with such a face, given that the label is known for having groups with no visual holes.
They were then skeptical that the company also accepted him as a trainee, mocking how SM's standard fell, implying that anyone can now enter the label without visuals.
— . (@s9yeg4) June 6, 2024
- "Please share your plastic surgery doctor. It's god's hand."
- "No, is it possible for someone with a face that is below average to be selected as a trainee and debut as a celebrity? Should I do it too?"
- "They criticize female idols about their looks, but they suck at male idols even if they are ugly."
- "No, I'm even more surprised that a kid like that thought of becoming an idol. Seriously, I think he'd do street karaoke."
- "I'm not being sarcastic, I'm serious. How do people like that get cast? There has to be something better than the average person. It really dawns on me that kids who were worse than me in school will sweep up all the wealth and fame."
- "These days, anyone can become an idol."
When NCTzens saw this, they immediately defended Jaehee and uploaded photos showing that he was always handsome, but he got more handsome after debuting thanks to idol treatment.
Fans also refuted that he got plastic surgery, but he transformed into his current visuals after losing weight and maintaining his diet.
Lastly, Jaehee's supporters counterattacked and laughed at netizens claiming that they could also enter SM with "ordinary" visuals, stating that the male idol is not only picked due to his appearance but his top-tier vocals as well, which anyone can't just have.
- "It just looks like he really dieted a lot."
- "I think it's just a matter of weight loss, management, and styling."
- "Still, he puts in a lot of effort, so can you please look at him kindly?"
- "I searched to see who this guy was, and considering he lost weight and had celebrity styling, he looks the same."
READ MORE: K-Netz 'Upset' After Seeing NCT Wish Members' Visuals — Reason is Not What You Think It Is
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Written by Eunice Dela Cruz
