Should kpop groups try to balance out the lines and screen time between all the members evenly?

Or is it okay that certain members consistently get more lines and more screen time?

Quote from Kairina

It's okay if main and lead vocals get more lines but the ones with least lines should get enough screen time at least

that seems like a reasonable approach

Quote from carrot-juice

If we're talking small 4-5 member groups I see no reason for everyone not getting more-or-less equal lines

If we're talking larger groups,I think it's fair that the best singers are given a priority,or maybe in some instances members that fit the sound of the song best.

Yes, it's definitely easier to balance smaller groups especially since everyone in a smaller group probably has an important position and in larger groups, it should be whatever works best

Quote from xx-jenn-xx

i find that groups with about 5 or less members seem to be equally distributed, groups like up10tion with 10 members i see the leads sand main rappers and vocalists getting a fair share and the regular vocalists seem to get enough screen time as well. when up10tion when down to 7 it seemed a bit more evenly distributed, but i don't feel that anyone in particular in up10tion has been shafted.

at first in ateez yeosang wasn't getting much but that's because he lacked confidence and was working on it and when fever part 2 came out he seemed to come out of nowhere with confidence and it seems he's getting more screen time and more lines. so good for him

It has to be hard to give everyone lines in a ten member group. Songs are only so long. I can't even imagine what it's like for groups that are even larger.

Aww, I like to see members blossom like that. good for yeosang.

Quote from tetetete

Whatever will make the song sound the best should be done

Even if that means that a member who is less strong vocally will always get very few lines?

Quote from fdblink

No, it's like trying to show a movie with every actor/actress getting the same amount of screen time. People have rolls and a purposes and should get the number of lines and screen time to be able to tell that story successfully. Songs are essentially really short stories but the same concept applies. Forcing even screen time and line distribution could potentially sacrifices entirety of the song for the sake for fairness... Or just imagine an orchestra with every instrument getting same amount of time, every voice is an instrument.

I know this is a lot coming from a Nayeon stan but feel the same for my biases in other others who gets less lines.

yeah, it's hard for me to really judge fairly I think cuz my biases are main vocals. Even in some of the other groups that I like but don't stan, I tend to favor mains and centers. If my bias was a visual subvocalist of a fifteen member group, maybe I would feel different. I dunno.

Quote from the101

No. I’m an asshole. I don’t want to lose a single moment of glorious vocal magic or someone spitting fire just to spread out the opportunities. Sorry.

Sometimes people don’t have a lot of lines because they’re not great singers or rappers and there are others stronger in the group. Maybe they’re great at dancing or variety or being the model/visual - everyone brings something to the group but that thing may not be a need for more lines.

Would you give them more screen time to compensate?

Quote from centen

Everyone should get good screen time. As much as I love God's Menu, it was ridiculous that NiziU got more screen time than Lee Know, even though as lead dancer, MVs should be where he gets at least a few seconds to totally shine. He looked so sad during their reaction video when he must have realized he didn't get even a second of his own screen time.

oh, that makes me feel bad for him. Does he normally get a good amount of screen time?

Quote from kittykitka

I think people with the most singing/Rapping talent should be getting the most lines.

There's also live singing to think about, a lot of idols can sing alright in the studio, but then start choking on air the instant they have to sing live

that's true. It's hard for me to watch some members struggle through even the one or two lines they do get. I can't imagine how they would do if they got an entire verse or something and had to sing live. I don't want to give up live singing just to balance lines.

Quote from xx-jenn-xx

Up10tion seems to be fine with it, of course i dont know for sure but the music is amazing! Yeosang went from this cute shy boy to hello sir who are you?

Sounds like he's found his charms.

Quote from centen

They definitely made up for it with Thunderous! So it set things right, which I know is more than some idols get. Sometimes they just get shafted comeback after comeback.

oh that's good. Yeah, it has to be hard for idols that consistently get barely any thing to do.

Quote from xx-jenn-xx

before:

after:

you tell me lol

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He definitely seems more comfortable now! lol. I love the hidden belly chain. It's like a surprise!

Quote from fiascomangkunega

I mean, if they are the one who capable of carrying the roles/ responsibility why not? Like main vocal or main rapper, etc.

There are idols who have weakest vocals for example, and always put in the middle and marketed as "the prettiest" when beauty is deadass subjective for each person. That's more not fair for me.

that's true. Beauty is subjective and just cuz someone is "pretty" does that by itself make them deserving of more screentime or being highlighted in the center?

I've seen less popular main vocals not get much screen time when they are literally carrying the song

And welcome to akp newbie :)

Quote from Charmed123

No, do what’s best for how the song sounds. I’ve never been one to care for line distribution

Even if it's consistently the same people who get the most and least lines? What if a member gets hardly any lines ever? Do you think it should be balanced by screen time?

Quote from motorp77

I don't think screen time could harm a group but lines i'm not sure, there are songs were rap/vocals will need more lines compared to others.

I don't think that it is a problem at all to emphasize the rap or vocal line in certain songs. And many songs will sound better with certain members highlighted. But what if it's all the time and some members are always the ones that are highlighted while others always get very few lines?

Quote from motorp77

Yea it's bad when a member never gets to sing. For example in loona, Yeojin and Vivi usually have about 4 seconds of singing COMBINED per track. It's really bad and they clearly showed previously that they can sing more.

Man, that has to suck for them. If they have the vocal talent, I don't get why they wouldn't be used. I mean, not all songs maybe, but maybe balance it out among all the songs on an album. Do they get screentime?

Quote from pinkcerise

depends on the talent disparity in the group, there's definitely some group i follow where i get why some members are pushed aside and there's some where it just makes me scratch my head sometimes.

Do you think that sometimes it's not so much about who best matches the song then, but more about certain members being pushed more? Maybe the more popular members are getting more focus? Though sometimes it feels like the company is trying to make certain members more popular by giving them more focus. Is it a chicken or egg thing?

Quote from motorp77

they get around as much screen time as they song, though I recall they used to get a little more screen time. Still the group is extremely biased towards their "visual line" with Heejin, Yves, Kim Lip, Chuu, Hyeju, Jinsoul getting way more screen time and singing parts (though Chuu and kim lip are the most used vocals so it kind of make sense).

Has this caused any strife in the fandom or are orbitz generally okay with the distribution?

I feel like I have some complaints here or there about this issue, but I don't really recall which groups they were about.

I do know that in my fave Monsta X, Hyungwon used to get fewer lines. He gets more these days though, especially since Wonho left. And with Shownu enlisted, everyone is doing more. Also, I feel like they have made the effort to change up who does what. Like Hyungwon did the chorus in Love Killa, which was unusual, but it totally fit the song and it was great to see him have more to do.