Following Irene's solo debut, a decade since her debut in Red Velvet, the K-media raised criticism related to her 1st mini-album.
On November 26, the 3rd-gen idol finally dropped her much-awaited solo release, "Like A Flower." It contains a total of 8 songs, including the title track with the same name.
When it was unveiled two days ago, the album earned hype from ReVeluvs (fandom). However, outside the fanbase, it didn't receive much traction and failed to enter the major music charts, leading K-media outlets to point out the reasons.
On Nov. 27th, Ten Asia wrote an article that emphasizes how Irene's "musical growth" in the past 11 years wasn't reflected in the album. While the songs are good, the outlet stated:
"Irene is not known for her outstanding singing ability. Since her vocal ability is limited, all the songs on the album, including the title track, feel like B-side tracks."
Compared to other K-pop idols, Irene is above average in dancing and singing. But inside her group, she stood out better than the visuals. Her top-tier beauty was also seen in the concept photos released ahead of her solo debut.
READ ALSO: K-Netz Rave Over Red Velvet Irene's Visuals Among 4th-Gen Idols: 'She's Not Losing...'
The media expressed its regrets and added:
"If her concept had been unique, she would have attracted more attention, but Irene chose the safe path. This is why she is still evaluated as weak for a soloist who debuted 11 years ago. As a singer who has been active for a long time, it is regrettable that the song did not allow her to display the musical skills she has accumulated over time and show her own unique color."
Unlike Taeyeon and IU who created a name in both fandoms and the general public, Irene is expected to promote catering ReVeluvs only. In fact, she recorded over 250,000 sold copies on the Hanteo Chart alone on the first day of its release — proving her fans' support.
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