espa Giselle has once again become the center of heated discussions after an unusual moment during her recent live stream sparked widespread debate on K-pop forums and social media.
During her latest broadcast, Giselle decided to tease some of her new, unreleased music. However, instead of generating excitement, the moment produced an unexpected and rather embarrassing result. As soon as the preview of the new song began, the number of viewers of the live stream significantly decreased.
According to data captured from clips circulating online, the live stream initially had more than 44,000 concurrent viewers. In a matter of just 30 seconds after Giselle played the new song snippet, the number would drop to around 36,100 viewers, a sharp drop of more than 8,000 people. This phenomenon goes against the usual trend of live streaming, where exclusive music premieres tend to increase engagement or at least maintain viewership.
The sudden decline immediately raised doubts about Giselle’s actual power of attraction. Many netizens bluntly commented that the song’s preview lacked a strong hook, describing the tune as not memorable and failing to meet expectations. As the excitement wore off, viewers appeared to exit the live stream in droves, fueling speculation that interest in his solo musical direction may be weaker than expected.
This incident also spurred renewed discussion about Giselle’s difficult career trajectory. Born in 2000 under the name Uchinaga Aeri, Giselle is the main rapper of espa. With Japanese-Korean ancestry and a record-breaking internship at SM Entertainment, she was initially introduced as a highly anticipated member. However, the reality turned out to be harsher.
In espaIn the first years of activity, Giselle was often labeled as the one of the group “vision gap”, facing relentless criticism over her appearance, body proportions and stage presence compared to fellow members Karina, Winter and Ningning. His abilities were also constantly scrutinized, leading to the being’s long-standing stigma “without talent” despite his distinctive rap tone and strong linguistic skills.
Dance performance, in particular, became his greatest weakness. His lack of power and frequent timing issues stood out during the group stages, especially alongside technically stronger members. Her agency’s style choices have further worsened public perception, with ill-fitting and outdated clothing often amplifying negative comments. At her lowest point, Giselle was even mocked as a “background dancer” within his own group.
In recent years, however, Giselle has undergone what many describe as a “from duck to swan” transformation. Her image, physique and charisma on stage have improved greatly, helping her gain a strong international fan base. With a slimmer figure, confident expressions and a sharper style, she has largely shaken off her early image. However, her transformation has not come without controversy, as rumors of excessive cosmetic procedures persist due to moments where her facial expressions appear stiff or unnatural.
More recently, Giselle’s image has also been affected by dating rumors involving her RIIZEby Shotaro, after netizens noticed supposedly matching phone screen details. Combined with these personal controversies, the live stream’s decline in viewership has been interpreted by some as a reflection of his current position.
Despite her obvious efforts to reinvent herself, Giselle appears to have difficulty securing consistent recognition for her musical output. Although its image and global appeal have improved significantly, public opinion suggests that questions regarding its artistic substance and musical competitiveness remain unresolved.
