First Place "I-LAND 2" Contestant Criticized For Her Visuals

On July 4, the final of Mnet‘s I-LAND 2 took place to crown the seven members who would debut in the group izna.

Like all survival shows, the members were ranked by votes, and Choi Jungeun, who had a staggering 832,393 votes, was in first place. Throughout the entire show, Jungeun was a firm favorite, and her constant high rankings showcased her talent.

Jungeun was unsurprisingly very emotional, and as she gave her speech, the reactions of the crowd, fellow contestants, and judges showed how much they all thought she deserved first place.

Sadly, when the video of the results was posted on Mnet’s channel, there was a lot of criticism towards Jungeun. In particular, it seemed Korean netizens didn’t feel she had the right visuals to get first place, comparing her to previous winners of survival shows.

“Let’s have Bang Jeemin as the center. If Jungeun does it, it’ll be a disaster, lol. She can just sing in the background. The other members will dominate in terms of visuals, lol.”
“Mnet’s Survival Programs 1st Place Lineup: Jeon Somi – Jang Wonyoung – Kim Chaehyun – Choi Jungeun(?) LOL.”
“The issue isn’t about who won first place. It’s that the seven members are just a mis-mash. One is too short and one is too aesthetically different, etc.”
“Sigh… I’ll hold my words. But know that the first place winners in the past survival shows were Jeon Somi, Roh Jisun, Jang Wonyoung, Kim Chaehyun, Won Jimin, and Wonhee. Next is Jungeun…”
“Sigh… I’m at a loss for words.”
“Even if she came in first, don’t insist on her being the center. Otherwise, the group will end up failing.”

Fans quickly came to Jungeun’s defense.

One fan shared that Jungeun is extremely popular with international fans, where they prioritize talent, compared to Korea, where visuals are the main focus when it comes to idols.

Why Choi Jungeun has so many international fans: In overseas countries, people generally appreciate talent over appearance, while in Korea, there is a severe focus on looks. It seems quite excessive to see harsh comments directed at a young person born in 2007 just because of their appearance. It would be good to consider why Choi Jeongeun is so popular internationally.

— OP

Another fan shared that after previous survival show results, it seemed that the Korean comments showed that visuals are seemingly prioritized over talent.

Looking at the comments, it becomes clear once again how Wonhee managed to get first place on R U Next. People selected her based on her looks, and then later went on to create a situation where she’s criticized for her skills. How is it that Choi Jungeun isn’t fit to debut? From the start, Jung Saebi, Koko, Bang Jeemin, and Mai are strong in terms of visuals. If Yoon Jiyoon and Choi Jungeun join as vocal members, they can ensure solid live performances. Don’t nitpick just because someone got first place. Even when the interim rankings showed her in second place, it was the fans’ fault for not being determined enough to make her first.

— OP

After seeing the flood of negative comments towards Jungeun, international fans also defended her.