After Irene’s solo debut, ten years after her Red Velvet debut, K-media raised criticism related to her first mini-album.
On November 26, the third generation idol finally released his long-awaited solo release, “Like A Flower.” It contains a total of 8 songs, including the title track of the same name.
When it was unveiled two days ago, the album gained the enthusiasm of ReVeluvs (fandom). However, outside of the fan base, it did not receive much popularity and failed to enter major music charts, leading K-media outlets to point out the reasons why.
On November 27, Ten Asia wrote an article highlighting how Irene’s “musical growth” over the past 11 years was not reflected in the album. While the songs are good, the outlet stated:
“Irene is not known for her exceptional singing ability. Since her vocal ability is limited, all the songs on the album, including the title track, sound like B-side tracks.”
Compared to other K-pop idols, Irene is above average in dancing and singing. But within his group it stood out better than the pictures. Her high-end beauty was also seen in concept photos released ahead of her solo debut.
READ ALSO: K-Netz enthusiastic about Red Velvet images of Irene among the fourth generation idols: “She’s not losing…”
The media expressed their regret and added:
“If her concept had been unique, it would have attracted more attention, but Irene chose the safe path. That’s why she is still rated 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 didn’t allow her to showcase the musical skills she’s accumulated over time and showcase her unique color.”
Unlike Taeyeon and IU who have created a name in both fandoms and the general public, Irene is expected to only promote ReVeluvs catering. In fact, it recorded over 250,000 copies sold on the Hanteo Chart alone on the first day of its release, demonstrating the support of its fans.
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