It’s been a long time since i wrote a controversial thread.
Before I go into my thoughts. This thread is not about the group members' personalities or chemistry since I cannot judge this without any context.
I just question the choices of Starship. Let me hear out. So, I was really excited for Ive’s debut since I really liked their pre debut introduction videos and it seemed as if every member had their own “5 minutes” and no one overshadowed anyone. Especially with the background of Wonyoung being the center of I*zone and a popular idol and Yujin being a very popular member of I*zone, one of my concerns was that the other members will be overshadowed or not introduced well enough. This was the case for a lot of post-produce groups where they started as “X & friends” groups.
The debut though started making me question it a little bit. The styling disparities of the Showcase stage are severe. Wonyoung has a very strong stage presence (and that just by her visuals because those are out of this world). Who in their right mind thought it was good idea to give her the most outstanding dress in a striking color that literally looked entirely different than the styling of the other members? In my opinion, even without such a styling she would have stood out but not that severe. It seems as if she was doing another concept than the others. It is the same for Yujin but it’s not that obvious/ severe. Yujin still felt like a member of the group. Then I didn’t understand why they styled Leeseo and Gaeul so similar as in makeup and hair style/color. The whole styling concept of Ive is a little bit all over the place (This would deserve another thread lol). The only member except for Wonyoung/Yujin that stands out or is noticeable is Rei and maybe Liz due to her blond hair. I hope the next comeback will highlight the other members - especially Leeseo and Gaeul. I hope this won’t be another “XY and friends“ group.
What do you think?