WJSN Dayoung’s “Fatphobic” Comment To Super Junior’s Shindong Sparks A Debate On Hypocrisy In K-Pop

The senior idol has always struggled with his weight!
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Koreaboo

K-Pop is known for strict beauty standards, and idols will go to extreme lengths to look and be seen a certain way. One of the most debated topics is weight, as idols have revealed the harsh expectations artists have to maintain a certain size.

Recently, WJSN (also known as Cosmic Girls) member Dayoung came under fire for her allegedly fatphobic comments, and it has raised a debate on hypocrisy within K-Pop.

WJSN’s Dayoung | @dayomi99/Instagram

Super Junior‘s Shindong is one idol who has gained attention for not fitting those standards, and he has been vocal about the impact it’s had on him.

Super Junior’s Shindong | @earlyboysd/Instagram

Since debuting, Super Junior’s Shindong has never been ashamed of his weight but has been blasted by netizens for not fitting Korean standards of beauty. In 2019, he even revealed he was going to lose weight after being intense scrutiny.

Super Junior’s Shindong Vows To Lose Over 90 lbs After Being Weight Shamed By Netizens

Last month, Dayoung joined Shindong on another episode of Idol League with the girl group XG.

The members had to do tasks during the show to earn different food. At one point, the members listed what they liked to eat. After one member explained it was chicken breast and sweet potato, Shindong seemed to understand it was the meals of idols on a diet.

Shindong then seemingly tried to make the idols feel better, adding that eating on television didn’t make them fat.

Dayoung then explained, “That’s right, look at Shindong.” While to someone else, it could seem like a compliment, Shindong and the reactions of XG seemed to not take it as positively.

Yet, it has sparked a debate because it raised a debate on hypocrisy in K-Pop. The clip gained attention and brought the comment to the forefront of social media after a fan shared the video, but rather than seeing problems with it, they found it funny.

In the comments, many praised Dayoung’s comment, referring to the past actions of Shindong as an excuse to make a comment about his weight and not find it wrong.

@fucthis.2

aka he still big #xgalx #xg #xgshootingstar

♬ original sound – meanie

Yet, Super Junior fans (ELF) and other netizens shared their anger towards the post. For many, they hated the hypocrisy of netizens. Netizens are always criticizing the harsh “beauty standards” in K-Pop, especially when it comes to idols losing weight and being skinny.

While some netizens kept bringing up comments Shindong has said in the past about weight in women, fans shared that it is something the idol has apologized for.

Netizens also raised anger that the issue of “fatphobia” is huge in Korea and gets called out, but not when it refers to certain idols who don’t fit the standards or those who have done “problematic” things in the past.

Fans also shared that if it were the other way around and a male artist said it about a female idol, then it would become huge news and cause an uproar.

Netizens want Dayoung to apologize for her comments to Shindong, who is a senior artist. Others pointed out that it shows double standards and hypocrisy when it comes to the topic of weight and body image in K-Pop.

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