The K-Pop world is bustling and hustling with comebacks. ATEEZ and Stray Kids are heading to stages all over the world; IU, TWICE, and BABYMONSTER are all releasing new albums in February. To start off the year with a bang, the HYBE rookies are also entering the momentum with new albums — with a particular eye set on LE SSERAFIM.

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Now, we can’t really overlook all the past controversies these girls have had. Despite being a fourth-generation group that debuted in 2022, the spotlight hasn’t been kind to them in any way. First, they lost a member, and afterward, the group came under scrutiny due to the extreme pressure put on the members to conform to weight loss standards. Granted, this is a valid criticism. However, just as they finally thought they would have a breezy comeback, of course, they’re the talk of the hour once again, and here’s why.

What’s wrong with LE SSERAFIM’s music?

Perhaps the most common criticism you’ll stumble upon online concerns LE SSERAFIM’s new songs and how “boring” some people think they are. Naturally, the veracity or legitimacy of these claims should be taken with a grain of salt, but quite a few opinionated “fans” have taken over social media to express their concerns surrounding the group’s creative strategy and the perceived lack of production quality.

kpop is becoming so incredibly boring

— Bo 🥐 (@boyagerboy) February 19, 2024

Characterizing the songs as “boring” or “repetitive,” critics are flooding social media. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter, we also have to remember that disliking songs does not warrant controversy, much less a boycott. A “bad” song, or one that does not align with your expectations is completely normal and a common concept for any music fan — especially when it comes to K-Pop with its legion of passionate fans who always wish for more from their favorites.

What happened between LE SSERAFIM and Tyla?

Various fans pointed out on social media that LE SSERAFIM’s new song “Smart” was a blatant plagiarism of Tyla’s worldwide hit “Water.” From the synthesized beat to the choreography, several fans noted that the entire performance was clearly intended to be similar to Tyla’s viral song. Alternatively, many other netizens admitted that LE SSERAFIM’s song was not at all similar to Tyla’s, but the choreography might have been inspired.

for those confused a kpop group released a song some fans think was copying/inspired by tyla and others were arguing with them saying it wasn’t.. tyla posted the pinkpantheress gif and some thought it was shade

— حصاة ماتشا فلوم (@hissinglawn) February 20, 2024

In 2023, Tyla’s music video, choreography, and catchy tune “Water” gained acclaimed success, earning the South African singer her first Grammy award. The iconic choreography immediately garnered the attention of millions of fans around the world, and we wouldn’t be too surprised if the LE SSERAFIM members were among the fans. Moreover, Tyla herself touched briefly on the subject upon seeing the subject trending, and she appears to be less than bothered about the entire situation.

Why is my phone blowing up 💀
No weird vibes, always love to all girls
🐅♥️

— Tyla (@Tyllaaaaaaa) February 20, 2024

Why are people boycotting HYBE?

Perhaps the biggest reason why so many people are criticizing (or at least, ignoring) LE SSERAFIM is due to HYBE’s boycott. When the South Korean company grew larger, pioneered by none other than BTS, Bang Si-Hyuk decided to spread its wings to the West, branching out to the United States. Upon rebranding BigHit as Hybe Corporation, and acquiring Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings and all its properties, all hell broke loose.

While this may seem capitalistic yet harmless, everything took a turn once fans noticed that Braun, alongside many of HYBE’s associates and key elements, supported Israel in the 76-year-long Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Across America, we’ve seen the results of these boycotts through Starbucks and McDonald’s plummeting stocks, and in an attempt to expand the boycott to the music world, several fans are boycotting HYBE and consequently, refusing to listen to all the artists associated with the label — LE SSERAFIM included.

While this doesn’t necessarily mean LE SSERAFIM is getting directly boycotted, the girls’ comeback will surely be affected by the boycott. Unfortunately, they do not get to choose who their label works with, and end up as simple pawns in this genocidal party.

LE SSERAFIM church controversy

Lastly, in the music video for the lead single “Easy,” LE SSERAFIM appears to dance in a Presbyterian church. The location alone was enough to gather a legion of fans upset regarding the religious implications behind such an act, using a sacred place to record a music video while dressed … ungodly-like, I guess? Truly, it is hard to even explain all this, but I’ll try.

why is everyone ignoring the fact that le sserafim filmed their mv in a church ??????? the way they were dressed, the dance, the music it's so disrespectful.

— saw riize 𐙚 (@soheenrk) February 19, 2024

The video was shot in the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, which has been used for several music videos and even films in the past, including My Chemical Romance’s “Helena (So Long and Goodnight).” On the church’s website, it specifically stated that the church “is exclusively contracted with Hollywood Locations,” and surely, the management staff approved of its use beforehand.

Regardless, several Christian fans took to social media to openly criticize the group for shooting in such a location, insinuating that it was disrespectful. Just last November, Sabrina Carpenter was under scrutiny for filming the “Feather” music video in a New York City church, as well. Some people seem to not have gotten over that, it seems.