On November 23, (G)I-DLE’s Soyeon became the talk of the town thanks to her bold performance at MAMA 2024. Performing a rap she wrote herself before the group’s stage, Soyeon referenced the resolution of her contract with Cube Entertainment and former (G) I-DLE member Soojin, who left the group in 2021 following allegations of school bullying.
In her rap, Soyeon spoke the lines, “In ’21, you said/’What can you achieve without Soojin?’ / Contract and company, I said I’ll take care of it / If I let things like that affect me, I wouldn’t have gotten here.”
The mention of Soojin, who is currently active in her career, drew mixed reactions. Many fans and netizens have taken to platforms such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) to express their distress. In particular there were comments like: “It’s inappropriate to mention Soojin like this when she’s still active,” “The performance was impressive, but the mention of Soojin made me uncomfortable,” AND “I understand your point, but it left a strange feeling.”*
However, some fans defended Soyeon, claiming that the lyrics fit the concept of diss-rap and likely had Soojin’s approval beforehand. One commented: “The message is powerful and Soyeon would not have included his name without his consent.”
Another part of Soyeon’s rap also caught attention. In particular, the female idol sang, “Creative criticism, passionate fingers and dedication. But if you’re an insider, my cheeks turn red.
This line is speculated to criticize HYBE, referencing a recent controversy involving an internal HYBE report. Last month, during a National Assembly hearing, an internal document from HYBE’s Weverse Magazine was revealed, containing disparaging comments about the skills and images of idols, including (G) I-DLE.
Soyeon’s bold and layered performance continues to generate debate, with fans and audiences divided over whether her lyrics were uplifting or unnecessarily provocative.
Source: TenAsia
