Hello, first of all, I want to clarify two important points:
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I do not consider KATSEYE as K-pop (technically), but I think this is a good place to talk about these topics.
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I am a fan of both groups (Eyekon and a fan of LNGSHOT). I am not trying to incite hatred towards any of the groups or any of their members.
That said, these days I have been observing the situation in the fandoms, and it is impossible not to notice the double standard that occurs in the music industry (both in K-pop and outside of it). What we are seeing is misogyny disguised as "free will" and "moral concern." -
Daniela (KATSEYE)
Daniela has expressed being a fan of the rapper Playboi Carti, who has been accused of domestic violence and physical assault. She has been the target of a massive wave of hate for saying that his music "saved her life," for attending his concert, and for expressing her fandom.
On Weverse, she clarified: "I do not support or condone the actions of this artist," stating that she was not aware of his previous actions. To be honest, I recognize that she might be lying, since when you’re a big fan of an artist, it’s hard not to know about their controversies. However, many of us overlook this and support the art separately from the artist. From my experience, having a song pull you out of an emotional void does not mean you endorse the personal behavior of the author.
Still, while Daniela is called a "defender of abusers" at 21 years old, Carti himself continues to receive millions of streams. Why is the woman held more responsible for the man’s acts than the man himself? This leads us to the next point. -
Woojin (LNGSHOT)
On the other hand, we have Woojin, who directly named rapper Tory Lanez as his role model in an interview. Unlike other cases, Lanez is a convicted criminal sentenced to 10 years for shooting Megan Thee Stallion (even his songs talk about it).
Woojin has been seen in photos wearing "Free Tory" merchandise, and here is where the narrative changes. Many fans have come to his defense by attacking Daniela on X (Twitter), or the topic simply hasn't caused as much fuss. I feel that saying a convicted criminal is your example to follow is, technically, more serious, but it seems the public does not measure it with the same standard. -
Systemic Misogyny
Let’s call things by their name: if your moral compass only points at women, it’s not justice, it’s misogyny. Absolute purity is demanded from female idols while male idols actively admiring convicted abusers is forgiven (or ignored).
Daniela is not responsible for Carti’s actions, and Woojin is not responsible for Tory Lanez's; nobody deserves to be the punching bag of an internet that suffers from selective amnesia. I support both groups, but I’m fed up with the double standard. If you’re going to demand "responsibility," demand it equally from everyone.