Groups that are talented but are "bland" (2 Viewers)

[maruberry]

I've found a lot recently that there are more and more groups I find "bland"
And it's pretty weird for me bcs it's like...

Pretty idols, with pretty voices, dancing really prettily
And that's all there is to it at times for me

They all look similarly pretty and sing similarly well and dance with similar precision and I just get lost in it and end up focusing on none of them at any time.
I think it might be practicing too much maybe?
Or maybe the company going you have to do things like THIS far too much, which leads to them all doing things the exact way the company wants them to do them all the time....

It's just when watching performances is sticks out especially. It's fine with MVs, but then when I go, oh they are interesting and watch a performance it's like all the expressions are so rehearsed and forced and put on and it just.... feels so off.

Do y'all ever feel this way about a group?

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

I think this is why the newer generations are harder for me to enjoy.

 

[maruberry]

I think this is why the newer generations are harder for me to enjoy.

Sometimes I think that it might just be because they are rookies, but then I realise there are a few by now who are no longer rookies so like.....
Or maybe there has always been groups like this, I just don't remember bcs I have forgotten them and their blandness over time.

Or maybe it's bcs groups debut so young these days so like half the members are still actual kids??

 

[Lovely_Cornchips]

Sometimes I think that it might just be because they are rookies, but then I realise there are a few by now who are no longer rookies so like.....
Or maybe there has always been groups like this, I just don't remember bcs I have forgotten them and their blandness over time.

Or maybe it's bcs groups debut so young these days so like half the members are still actual kids??

When I got into Kpop rookies weren't perfect-rookies nowadays have little charm because they are made to be perfect from the start.

 

[maruberry]

When I got into Kpop rookies weren't perfect-rookies nowadays have little charm because they are made to be perfect from the start.

So it is the company being over controlling.
There are some things that can only come with experience, like expressions on stage etc...

Like even Kai wasn't perfect from the start, watching some of his earlier stages his expressions are good, but not the god-tier they are now.

Meanwhile these days a lot of companies try to control that by having them rehearse the expressions to be the way THEY want it to be, down to the little details. It removes the more human aspects from them. It also takes away any and all fun the idol might have on stage and THAT is what I want to see in the end. The idol enjoying the performance.

 

[Drew_B]

I'd be here all day if I was to make a list.

 

[mysteric]

itzy: the girls are sweet and I like them as individuals, and their dance skill is really strong overall, but I find it hard to stan

it's like the old relay dances: yeah, they weren't too great, but it was fun seeing them relax and have fun with the choreo
now, everything is so rehearsed, even the little interactions, so the charm about it is gone

 

[RainbowDevil]

I rarely get this feeling anymore. I used to get it a lot from Big 4 groups. Cause that's what they were. Really pretty idols, that sang songs that had pretty tunes that were so standard and had really standard voices with nothing but their company to carry them.

But when looking at certain groups now, they rarely have all the members being pretty, 1 is almost always vocally talented, 2 usually stand out visually and there's 1-2 epic dancers. I seem to find that more often than others tho... might also be cause I give more chances but hey, if I'm alone, so be it.

 

[maruberry]

itzy: the girls are sweet and I like them as individuals, and their dance skill is really strong overall, but I find it hard to stan

it's like the old relay dances: yeah, they weren't too great, but it was fun seeing them relax and have fun with the choreo
now, everything is so rehearsed, even the little interactions, so the charm about it is gone

100% the spontaneousness of it was what made it fun! Now it's just the choreo remade to be in more or less a single line
it was hilarious seeing EXO do it though for an encore, bcs they had absolutely no idea what they were doing, how it was supposed to be done, but they were giving it their damn best for the fans lmao

 

[maruberry]

I rarely get this feeling anymore. I used to get it a lot from Big 4 groups. Cause that's what they were. Really pretty idols, that sang songs that had pretty tunes that were so standard and had really standard voices with nothing but their company to carry them.

But when looking at certain groups now, they rarely have all the members being pretty, 1 is almost always vocally talented, 2 usually stand out visually and there's 1-2 epic dancers. I seem to find that more often than others tho... might also be cause I give more chances but hey, if I'm alone, so be it.

COuld also be that we are talking about and looking at different groups tbh!
It could also be that even with the groups we already stan we look for different things.

Also I ain't even trying to throw shade at the talent, my problem with the groups isn't that they aren't good singers etc. Quite contrary, more often than not I look into the group more bcs they seem really damn talented, only to be disappointed. There is still some really really talented members, just that they perform so.... standard despite that talent.

 

[Mayday]

Dont be shy tell us who you're talking about


Honestly nearly all of my faves are like this

 

[RainbowDevil]

COuld also be that we are talking about and looking at different groups tbh!
It could also be that even with the groups we already stan we look for different things.

Also I ain't even trying to throw shade at the talent, my problem with the groups isn't that they aren't good singers etc. Quite contrary, more often than not I look into the group more bcs they seem really damn talented, only to be disappointed. There is still some really really talented members, just that they perform so.... standard despite that talent.

Mmm I think I get what you mean. A thing that I can say is happening is companies debuting too many members in groups only for the actually talented members to be unseen cause of how damning it is too have so many members. It's hard to stand out a lot of the time. The only reason Seventeen for example work are cause they all somewhat stand out and even they have 3 seperate teams where they can shine. So yea, sad to see at times.

 

[maruberry]

Dont be shy tell us who you're talking about


Honestly nearly all of my faves are like this

Don't wanna, if I mention groups ppl get mad, if I don't ppl just assume I am not talking about their faves or don't care about the thread in the first place

 

[maruberry]

Mmm I think I get what you mean. A thing that I can say is happening is companies debuting too many members in groups only for the actually talented members to be unseen cause of how damning it is too have so many members. It's hard to stand out a lot of the time. The only reason Seventeen for example work are cause they all somewhat stand out and even they have 3 seperate teams where they can shine. So yea, sad to see at times.

I 100% agree that companies often just pad out the numbers. Even in Seventeen each member has their own unique reason for being in the group and it is helped along MASSIVELY by the units. Even the "less talented" members (who are still god damn amazing) stand out in their own ways. Everybody shines.

Too many companies seem to take uniform and synchronization to mean NOBODY shines on their own which is just plain WRONG. Every member of the group should have worth and be able to shine on their own as well.

 

[mysteric]

COuld also be that we are talking about and looking at different groups tbh!
It could also be that even with the groups we already stan we look for different things.

Also I ain't even trying to throw shade at the talent, my problem with the groups isn't that they aren't good singers etc. Quite contrary, more often than not I look into the group more bcs they seem really damn talented, only to be disappointed. There is still some really really talented members, just that they perform so.... standard despite that talent.

another aspect could be the personality aspect
like I am sure 99% of current rookies are more polished than their seniors at debut, but because of competition and increasingly intense fandom culture, a lot more content is scripted, so a large chunk of the idol pop charm (the personalities) is gone

like this type of behaviour would only bring hate and criticism now


heck, karina was just getting hated on for calling sooyoung unnie instead of sunbaenim today on pann

 

[maruberry]

another aspect could be the personality aspect
like I am sure 99% of current rookies are more polished than their seniors at debut, but because of competition and increasingly intense fandom culture, a lot more content is scripted, so a large chunk of the idol pop charm (the personalities) is gone

like this type of behaviour would only bring hate and criticism now


heck, karina was just getting hated on for calling sooyoung unnie instead of sunbaenim today on pann

Personality? Not allowed over here!
This really made me think, so this made me try to write down the images and concepts of all the members of SVT and yup. There is literally no overlap and I struggled precisely not at all to write their public image down.

Just.... Let the girls live. Giselle is constantly getting hate for having a personality and life pre-debut

 

[mysteric]

Just.... Let the girls live. Giselle is constantly getting hate for having a personality and life pre-debut

I honestly think that her predebut pics hurt her popularity
everyone expected her to be some abg and hyped her for it, and then dropped their support once they found that the impression she gave off wasn't her actual personality

 

[maruberry]

I honestly think that her predebut pics hurt her popularity
everyone expected her to be some abg and hyped her for it, and then dropped their support once they found that the impression she gave off wasn't her actual personality

Also combined with her being a rapper yeeee.... But it's fine! She will grow herself a fandom for sure, I mean already it's getting better + her image of being an all-rounder queen is becoming more and more known.

 

[Ineul_Ze]

Honestly, this is how I've felt about the past 2 years of new groups that have debuted.

This is really how I feel about groups like Itzy, Aespa, TXT, and quite a few others. I have nothing against the idols themselves - they're gorgeous, their vocals tend to be quite outstanding and the talent is there. But the music and something else ... I can't exactly pin what it is, it feels bland. I find myself wanting to love these groups because I see the talent but it's difficult because of that 'ick' feeling. I think this started the year of 2019 for me honestly.

 

[maruberry]

Honestly, this is how I've felt about the past 2 years of new groups that have debuted.

This is really how I feel about groups like Itzy, Aespa, TXT, and quite a few others. I have nothing against the idols themselves - they're gorgeous, their vocals tend to be quite outstanding and the talent is there. But the music and something else ... I can't exactly pin what it is, it feels bland. I find myself wanting to love these groups because I see the talent but it's difficult because of that 'ick' feeling. I think this started the year of 2019 for me honestly.

Hmm interesting, but tbh for me with the groups I have this "bland" problem with it isn't about the music for me. Quite often I even like their music....

Ofc there are also groups whose music I don't like and quite a lot of them new ones.... That's including the likes of txt and ITZY, but at least ITZY I don't actually find bland (Can't say that about txt, haven't looked into the members at all tbh) I just don't care for their music/concept. The members themselves are distinct, recognizable and with clear seperete concepts