Kyuan ex I-lans Competitor and solo artist, he is under fire for presumably elaborating a “bad boy” image after a video of May 25 has become viral. The clip shows Kyu In a fans’ signing event that holds a cigarette off in the mouth while it engages with fans, triggering widespread criticisms and heated debates online.
While Kyu He had previously presented the smoke in his debut single Time Music and social media videos, many Netizen saw the cigarette at the fans’ event as a performative support to model his public person. Critics claimed that this attempt to appear rebellious has felt forced, inappropriate and inauthentic, especially for an artist still at the beginning of his solo career.
Netizens’ comments reflect frustration, with some mocking of the concept and comparing it with desperate attempts by young entertainers who try to lose a childhood image:
- Smoking is the entire concept of this boy; It’s not nice, we are tired.
- He wants to be “modified” so badly.
- It is as Disney/Nick actors who try to break from their childish image in the most ridiculous ways.
The original article of the video clarified that the cigarette was a gift from a fan and not part of a planned concept. They also noticed it Kyu He has never illuminated the cigarette due to security problems and rigorous non -smoking regulations of Japan in public spaces. Despite this explanation, the public response remained mostly negative, with many mocking of the apparently invented attempt by Kyu to appear angular.
Cigarette?
-Theless, this cigarette is not his and was given by a fan. The place we met where they were so crowded. People gone against each other and were totally dangerous. He didn’t turn it on because he wasn’t sure for us, and it is also illegal to smoke outside in Japan.– Hane🫧 (@wonya_yoi) May 26, 2025
The latter dispute is added to the previous control that surrounds Kyu, who faced the criticisms for the comments on I-lans and to engage with ex The Serafim member Kim Garam’s Instagram Post, a move that has rekindled the debates due to Garam’s just past controversies.
While online discussions continue through social media and forums, Kyu’s The emerging solo career is now at the center of wider conversations on authenticity, the creation of images and public perception in the K-Pop sector.
