There's a pattern in K-pop that's become impossible to ignore: there's always a "girl group of the moment" that receives a massive wave of hate.
And this isn't an isolated incident; it's a cycle.
I'm not very good with words, and I probably won't express this opinion as clearly as I'd like, but it's something I've been thinking about a lot lately, and I'd like to share my thoughts on it.
Girl groups debut being praised as "refreshing," "different," "the future of the industry." This was the case with TWICE, BLACKPINK, ITZY, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans, among others.
But this initial hype is often not genuine; it's used as a tool. These groups are placed on a pedestal not only to be praised but to serve as a comparison and to belittle others.
The problem begins when this group grows too much.
When TWICE dominated the 3rd generation, they were constantly attacked, groups like Red Velvet and BLACKPINK were used to diminish them. As soon as BLACKPINK "took" Twice's place as the biggest girl group of the 3rd generation, everything changed, they became the target and ironically TWICE became a reference to criticize them.
The same thing happened with ITZY and aespa, who started with enormous support and quickly became the target of intense criticism. Then, LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans entered exactly the same cycle.
Just to be clear, I understand some of the criticism directed at NewJeans and the groups mentioned above, but calling them bitches and wishing ill on these girls is not the right way to point out these criticisms. It's interesting to note that in the case of NJ, everything that was previously praised, the concept, the music, the identity, became described as "overrated" or "boring." In online spaces, especially forums and communities, criticism often crosses the line and becomes dehumanization.
We can also talk about Katseye, which was constantly praised when used to attack the performance of other girl groups, but is now constantly attacked on the internet.
And this isn't limited to the groups; it directly affects the members. Idols like Jennie, Lisa, Sakura, Wonyoung, Daniela, and many others are treated as if they've committed something unforgivable. And platforms like YouTube and other networks end up amplifying this cycle, since negative and controversial content generates more engagement and visibility.
The cycle repeats itself: a group is elevated, used as a comparison, reaches the top, becomes a target, and is finally replaced.
And so a new girl group of the moment always emerges, inevitably becoming the next target.