Internet users felt “uncomfortable”.
koreaboo
TXT‘S The Yeonjun has been making headlines since announcing his solo debut in September 2024. After GREAT MUSIC confirmed that he will release a mixtape later this month, fans got a sneak peek at a track titled “Gum,” released on September 19th.
The song quickly topped iTunes in 32 regions and performed well on Japan’s Oricon and Line Music charts. It even hit #1 on Spotify in seven regions and dominated YouTube’s trending videos in over 30 countries.
While the song’s release sparked excitement among fans, reactions to Yeonjun’s choreography, particularly the accompanying TikTok challenge, were less positive. A specific dance move in which Yeonjun thrusts his hips to the beat sparked controversy, with many netizens finding the gesture awkward and unnecessary, especially when paired with other idols in TikTok collaborations.
@txt.bighitent The GGUM Killa #TXT #SOOBIN #YEONJUN #YEONJUN_Mixtape_GGUM #YEONJUN_GGUM #GGUM ♬ GGUM – YEONJUN
Criticism began to gain traction when a post on the popular Korean online community the qoo went viral. It has garnered over 57,000 views and attracted over a thousand comments, many of which expressed discomfort with the suggestive dance. Some viewers found the choreography in poor taste, claiming that it added nothing to the performance. Others felt that the move was over the top and distracting, especially during televised performances.
- “I don’t think the first one was that bad, but the second one [with the suggestive move] it was a little embarrassing.”
- “Is it really that serious?”
- “I wish male idols would stop doing that suggestive dance. I really don’t like it.”
- “Uhhh.”
- “It just looks ordinary. The dance itself doesn’t look attractive or sexy at all.”
- “I was watching Music bank the other day without thinking, and when I saw the second dance, I was seriously shocked.”
- “It’s just… I think people are overreacting.”
- “The second one is just too much… It keeps getting attention.”
- “I don’t like it. It’s uncomfortable.”
This sentiment has spread to another community site, Interruptionwhere a similar post criticizing the choreography garnered over 79,000 views. While some defended Yeonjun’s performance and praised his dancing skills (which received more dislikes than likes), the majority of comments were negative.
- “It’s normal that you don’t like it, lol.”
- “I feel sorry for the idols who have to face that challenge.”
- “At first, I didn’t think much about the challenge when it first came out. But that one on Music bank and the one posted yesterday… This time I was honestly shocked… Especially with Yeonjun and Soobin’s challenge… they were just too cheeky…”
- “Yeonjun’s dancing is top-notch for male idols. He dances so well and brings the choreography to life. The choreography is perfect, but why do people only focus on that aspect? It’s not like we’re in the Joseon era. Stop being so old-fashioned.”
- “What kind of things do you usually look at to think about this when you see a choreography?”
- “Since Yeonjun dances so well, it didn’t seem strange to me at all?”
TXT
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