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00:00:00 – 00:10:46
The video primarily revolves around the career of Las Seraphim's Sakura, particularly focusing on the scrutiny of her vocal abilities and performance standards in the K-pop industry. Sakura, originally from the J-pop group HKT48, transitioned to K-pop through her involvement in the show "Produce 48," and later as a member of Iz*One and Le Sserafim under HYBE Labels. Despite her popularity, she has consistently faced criticism for vocal instability and underwhelming rapping and dancing skills. This criticism persisted even after she began vocal training with Hybe in 2021, underscored during performances like the Encore on M Countdown and Coachella, which drew severe negative reactions.
The video highlights the debate over Sakura's efforts and progress, with some acknowledging improvement and others remaining critical. It also mentions other idols like Yeonjun from TXT and Giselle from Aespa, who have responded positively to criticism and improved their performances. Furthermore, the discussion reflects on whether the harsh criticism Sakura faces is genuinely about her vocal performance or if it stems from unwarranted hatred, with a call for more constructive feedback to help her and her group improve.
00:00:00
In this segment, the focus is on the career and reception of Las Seraphim’s Sakura, particularly following her performance at the Coachella Music Festival. The backlash against her singing skills has intensified, raising questions about the standards for K-pop idols. Sakura’s career began in J-pop with the idol group HKT48, a sister group of AKB48. She made her debut in 2012 and consistently improved in the group’s popularity contests, peaking at third place in 2018. Her transition to K-pop began with her participation in the show “Produce 48,” where she became the most popular trainee among the Japanese contestants and achieved the first center position, although rumors suggest she was rigged out of winning the top spot.
Despite her popularity, Sakura faced criticism for her vocal instability, unimpressive rapping, and need for improvement in dancing. This criticism persisted during her time with the group Iz*One, where she ranked second place and was one of the most beloved members. Critics believed she had not significantly improved her skills, attributing the shortcomings to different training standards between the J-pop and K-pop industries.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on Sakura’s vocal training and the criticism she faced throughout her career. It highlights that despite extensive resources available during her time with IZ*ONE, many questioned why she didn’t improve her vocal skills. After IZ*ONE disbanded, Sakura debuted with Le Sserafim under HYBE Labels in May 2022, encountering various issues including backlash over inappropriate outfits and choreographies. Sakura admitted feeling insecure due to negative comments about her vocals, which made it challenging for her to enter the recording studio. Opinions were divided on her progress, with some acknowledging improvement in her dancing and others criticizing her lack of effort in vocal training. Following the release of Le Sserafim’s “ANTIFRAGILE,” an article claimed that Sakura began taking vocal lessons seriously for the first time, sparking debate and leading to different interpretations of her commitment to improving her skills.
00:06:00
In this segment, the focus is on Sakura’s vocal journey and the criticism she faced. In 2021, Sakura joined Hybe and began taking vocal lessons, a fact highlighted in the group’s documentary “The World’s My Oyster.” She took singing lessons to hit certain notes and improve her Korean pronunciation through intense training. Despite these efforts, she faced heavy criticism for her vocal performance during an Encore on M Countdown, with fans noting she seemed uncomfortable singing live. Criticism escalated after LE SSERAFIM’s performance at Coachella, where the lack of a backtrack and demanding choreography led to negative reviews of their vocals. Sakura’s performance was particularly scrutinized, with severe comments about her vocal abilities and preparation. Following the backlash, Sakura addressed the criticism in a post on Weavers, expressing her commitment to improving and providing a fun experience for the audience, but this statement received mixed reactions, causing further controversy.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the discussion focuses on the backlash faced by an idol for dismissing criticism of her performance. Critics argue she was arrogant and made excuses, while fans of other groups highlighted idols who responded to criticism positively and improved. Examples include Yeonjun from TXT, who apologized for a bad encore, and Giselle from Aespa, who improved her performances without excuses. However, the conversation also acknowledges that the criticism towards Sakura and her group has escalated into harassment, with vile comments and threats. Additionally, factors such as environmental challenges during the performance are noted. The segment questions whether the intense criticism is genuinely about vocal performance or simply a guise for unnecessary hatred, encouraging the hope that the members will use constructive criticism to enhance their skills.