So why are idols so bad at singing?

My faves cannot relate, sorry.

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

Market follows demands.

Kpop fans haven't supported main vocals much since 3rd gen

So obviously companies put more focus on visuals and dancing

This, nothing more, nothing less.

Quote from Dreamer95

Can we please discuss it normally without making it about certain groups and turning it into a fanwar?

Literally every group nowadays seems to have this issue. Name me one top group that never got into such controversy except for Mamamoo?

Even Gidle did, despite them being considered as one of the better ones.

Why are idols so bad when they have to sing fully live without the background music or earpieces? They literally train every day for this, how come some are totally unskilled on vocals? Does the vocal coaching suck so bad?

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Dude, have you seen Le Sserafim's work out schedule? If I was them I could barely survive, not even talking about singing practice after

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

Idle was never considered one of the better ones?

Market follows demands.

Kpop fans haven't supported main vocals much since 3rd gen

So obviously companies put more focus on visuals and dancing

Yeah, the groups' main vocalist is very rarely among the most popular members. In many cases, they're among the least popular actually (NCT Taeil comes to mind, Wendy, Seungmin, Chen etc)

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

Kpop fans haven't supported main vocals much since 3rd gen

Actually how many main vocals r even all that successful in music back in 2nd gen? Taeyeon is the only one I know.

Quote from icyruios

I'm trying to think which groups most popular members are main vocals....lemmi think

AOA Choa (for sure)

Sistar Hyolyn? (might not even be the case tbh)

Taeyeon? I mean she is the most successful one in the music industry out of all the members

That's about it, for now until I think of more

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I thought the most popular in AOA was Seolhyun.

Quote from atropos

Actually how many main vocals r even all that successful in music back in 2nd gen? Taeyeon is the only one I know.

Kyuhyun from Suju is quite successful in domestic charts, same with Sandeul (B1A4). They're not exactly trendy, rather well-respected for their vocals by the GP.

I suspect before a comeback they practice a lot the choreography but not near enough the singing. After they record the song they seem done with singing.

Which idols are you specifically talking about?? Some Kpop singers might seem less skilled because of different training levels and busy schedules. But they're always working hard to improve and give awesome performances for their fans.

Quote from butterbutterfly

Sandeul (B1A4)

Is he the one who sang the ost Slightly Tipsy?

Quote from atropos

Is he the one who sang the ost Slightly Tipsy?

Yup. A lot of these 2nd gen main vocalists are OST kings.

Since 3G singing has taken a back seat so less vocally capable idols debuted within groups. Looks became a big factor and Dance emphasis also rose but that was kinda used as crutch to excuse weak vocals (“you try sounding stable while dancing’”). Live singing on tv has almost disappeared so there’s less need to practice for something you won’t do much and the rare times you do hear something as live as possible it’ the encore stuff which yeah….

Quote from fortuna

I've been seeing so much of this discourse on akp and the truth of the matter is that K-pop provides more than vocals, there's rap and dance included in that package and so on.

So kpop stans will hyper fixate on the areas their faves are better at and call other groups untalented when let's be honest every group has their flaw. Because there aren't that many triple threats and by that I mean exceptional at everything.

Like there's a big elephant that forces itself into the room when you talk about rap and even dance. I've skipped so many K-pop songs with embarrassing raps. And A lot of these K-pop main dancers to me are average.

Point here is, the focus isn't entirely on singing in kpop unless you're created as a vocally charged group.

Some groups were not created to be vocally charged.

Some groups are rap heavy, others are dance heavy. Does that make them any less talented ? No. Lesserafim is shaping up to be Performance heavy. Because let's be honest, they're the only newer group whose performances I actually care to watch

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But there's a difference between not being vocally outstanding but still being able to sing your own song live, and not being able to do so time after time (and actually sounding worse than they did before).

Being performance heavy and vocally strong are not mutually exclusive things. NMIXX are out there doing all these difficult choreos and still delivering great vocals. If they can, why can't other groups?

I think it's more some weird obsession with encore stages that knetz started and the west followed

Because does one or two members save a group? Because you can find some Red Velvet members cracking in lives, and we know how AKP loves them

Because, to be honest? In the end what matters in K-pop is not being technically good at singing, rapping, dancing or perform amazingly live, but If the act is visually passable, If they are releasing songs people like and the tone on studio is enough pleasing to people's ears. If the members are enough charismatic to stan attract an audience and, the most important, If they fit the stabilized image an agency set for the group to build a brand up.

If they have any outstanding talent in any area is a plus and luck.

Because they're not trained well. Even if they train for 5+ years, most of that training isn't good, also companies do not choose trainees with natural talent in singing, they choose trainees based on appearance, and now the trainee period has shortened, so idols aren't getting enough training.

Not my fave he can sing in circles around your faves

Singing is like 7th on the priority list for an idol.

Because being an idol is about selling a fantasy, not talents.

Quote from Dreamer95

Name me one top group that never got into such controversy except for Mamamoo?

As far as I remember I don't think EXO ever got any controversy regarding their vocals

As long as NMIXX, Kiss Of Life, RIIZE, and TWS are around, I'll still have faith with Idol singer

Quote from Dreamer95

I literally told yall not to turn it into fanwar and that's exactly what you did

Talking about how your faves are different when I am asking you to address to widespread issue in the industry.

We get it, your faves are exceptional. Lets discuss the industry.

Hyping my faves is more fun than discussing the industry I'm sorry

Quote from dummi

Because being an idol is about selling a fantasy, not talents.

Quote from DaisyTheGenuine

Market follows demands.

Kpop fans haven't supported main vocals much since 3rd gen

So obviously companies put more focus on visuals and dancing

These two would be the best answers.

Also, there are soloists and bands, so company doesn't need to stress having a good vocalist for idol groups. What they need are people who mesh well, chemistry, or even support what other lacks. We wouldn't know what that requirement is because we're not within their training process. Managers would know because they see those trainees on a daily basis and understands who works well in a group.

However, just as how negative news always get the headline, we usually don't see praises of idols who sing well too. There are many in 4th gen who sings decently well or even great, but due to their groupmate that the whole group is reducing to 'unable to sing'.

Singing skills are not the #1 priority when companies select idols.

The biggest groups ever in kpop like BTS and Twice proved how other talents like charisma, group concept and image , and in BTS case not visible but more artistic skill sets like writing and producing to connect with fans more intimately out weighed skilled singing.

Tbh singing is required only for “live” performances that too very particular ones. In The studio everyone sounds good no two ways about it. Twice songs sound great. LSF songs sound great. And for most of the lives we have backtracks and videos can be edited.

It’s quite obvious why singing took a back seat : there’s rarely any need for it.

People are like “but they are singers”. Yes, and? The studio is magical. A good vocal tone outweighs a good vocal technique for kpop.

And imo there’s nothing wrong with this approach.