"Jiah Hanwei needs to lose weight"… Kim Jaejoong clarifies controversy over participant's insult
Singer Kim Jaejoong, who is appearing as a master (judge) on Mnet's 'Boys Planet C', has been embroiled in a controversy over his comments about a participant.
In the second episode of 'Planet C', broadcast on the 25th, the group Voice Story, who have already debuted as idols in Korea, showcased their performance.
Since debuting under the major agency JYP in 2018, they garnered a lot of attention while gaining various experiences by performing on big stages continuously.
After the stage that determined their ranks, all members except Heo Sinlong, who achieved the highest rank of 'All-Star', received a lower rank of 'Two-Star', including Lizhao and Jiah Hanwei.
According to the broadcast, Kim Jaejoong, who watched the performance, commented in his evaluation, "The three participants are 20 and 21 years old, but I can feel their experience. Not in terms of skill, but also in their visuals."
Dance master Baek Kuyeong added, "(If their weight) lightens a bit, they could show a much better performance, but I thought their physical condition needs a bit more refinement."
At this time, subtitles displayed the message, 'Weight management is needed for performance.'
Moreover, as Jiah Hanwei was leaving the stage after an unsatisfactory score, Kim Jaejoong called out to her and reiterated, "You need to lose weight."
After the broadcast, when the feedback was interpreted as a personal attack on the participant, Kim Jaejoong clarified through the fan communication platform Weverse on the 27th.
He stated, "A lot of the process was edited," and explained, "We talked about how they seem like friends who will definitely get All-Stars next time, so it may need more dramatic elements."
He continued, "If they provide a visual change and improve their performance, I think the reaction would be, 'Of course, Voice Story is professional.' This was a part I had discussed a lot with the company originally, so I was reminding them of it once again."
He particularly noted, "From the viewers' and fans' perspectives, it might be unpleasant and feel bad. The editing can make it look that way. I thought so myself," and emphasized, "I definitely did not insult them."
In response, some netizens expressed various opinions, saying, "Mnet is doing the devil's editing again," "What's wrong with telling an idol to lose weight," "Idols are about both visuals and skills," "But directly telling someone to lose weight feels shameful," and "There's nothing wrong with it, but it didn't need to be said in front of everyone."
Image source: Mnet 'Boys Planet C', Voice Story member Jiah Hanwei / Mnet 'Boys Planet C', x(twitter)
