ILLIT members recently showed public support for FIFTY FIFTY’s new comeback, taking aback many fans.
Nowadays, two idol groups collaborating for dance challenges that promote each group’s respective comeback has become more of a norm in K-Pop. But it doesn’t happen very often that a group would go out of their way to post about another group’s comeback on their official channels to show them support.
So, when multiple ILLIT members posted about FIFTY FIFTY’s new song, “SOS,” on ILLIT’s official social media platforms, fans were surprised. Members Wonhee, Iroha, and Yunah all posted similar messages on X (former Twitter), congratulating FIFTY FIFTY members Chanelle and Yewon over their official debut as the new members of FIFTY FIFTY.
샤넬언니 예원언니 데뷔 너무너무 축하해요~!
같은 무대에 서고 싶어요
늘 응원하고 있을게요💓#ILLIT #아일릿 #WONHEE #원희— ILLIT (@ILLIT_twt) September 20, 2024
“Chanelle unnie and Yewon unnie, many many congratulations on your debut!
I want to stand on the same stage with you guys.
I will always root for you.”
— Wonhee
샤넬언니~! 예원언니~!
데뷔 축하해요오오옹~~!! 🥳 🥳
우리 서로 화이팅하구!! 응원해요!! ❤️ ❤️ #ILLIT #아일릿 #IROHA #이로하— ILLIT (@ILLIT_twt) September 20, 2024
“Chanelle unnie! Yewon unnie!
Congratulatiooons on your debut!!
Let’s cheer each other on!! I’m rooting for you!!”
— Iroha
샤넬언니! 예원아! 데뷔 너무너무 축하해요 💕
항상 응원할게요 파이팅 🥰 🥰 #ILLIT #아일릿 #YUNAH #윤아 pic.twitter.com/ttl8a4Lm4L— ILLIT (@ILLIT_twt) September 20, 2024
“Chanelle unnie! Yewon! Many, many congratulations on your debut.
I will always root for you. Fighting.”
— Yunah
The specific shoutouts to Chanelle and Yewon were due to the fact that the two were competing on the idol survival show R U NEXT? which led to the creation of ILLIT.
While many were touched by the fact that the girls maintained a good relationship despite once being competitors and debuting in different groups, many also found it odd. Those who were unhappy with the members’ posts gave two major reasons. The first was an ongoing boycott call against FIFTY FIFTY’s new lineup, as many fans feel that their label ATTRAKT has exploited the former members who are still tied up in a massive lawsuit with the label.
boycott fifty fifty 🙁 illit fans pls pls dont stream or listen to this song https://t.co/lqhnr1l83z
— angel 📡 (@straszyciolki) September 20, 2024
here is your reminder to boycott attrakt and everything linked to them, so that means boycott fifty fifty too
every penny you give them goes to lawsuits against the former members of the group who were mistreated putting their health at risk https://t.co/q0SLMDTqcO
— ً (@aekiofl) September 20, 2024
Many argued that the other reason was that the posts felt more like something done by HYBE rather than the members themselves. Many felt that if the girls wanted to congratulate their friends, they would have posted it on Weverse instead of X. Still, different fans have speculated differently about HYBE’s possible strategy in pulling this move.
I know Illit are close to the girls but we’ve just recently got the information that Attrakt was actually working with Hybe, had them in their books, had eyes and knew the two girls during or after r u next, and planned these desperate and vulnerable girls future already https://t.co/WlE05DW4sD pic.twitter.com/QEyt0Y6WTi
— gab (@saeransio) September 21, 2024
considering how this is being posted and that group being revealed for being involved with hybe, its probably hybe doing free promo. girl fuck hybe https://t.co/rvnrXUrjMe
— sunny🐰ྀི ✧ (@chaesecakee) September 20, 2024
If this were actually the girls personal congrats then it would be posted on Weverse.
You really think we’d fall for you using ILLIT to promote 5050?
ILLIT IS NOT YOUR SCAPEGOAT#HYBESTOPUSINGILLIT https://t.co/lQYwOT4vlU pic.twitter.com/56lNYlXwCq
— ILLIT Loops 🐇 (@illit_loops) September 20, 2024
Many, however, denounced the negativity and defended the ILLIT members, saying that the posts were simply for showing support toward their friends and shouldn’t be taken as something beyond that.
why y’all mad when she’s literally supporting her friends who has been through so much with her during trainee and runext era like? if there’s someone who understands what it feels to finally debut after waiting for a long time it’s def yunah. gtfo and stop harassing the girls 🙄 https://t.co/j43StM48Ju
— rea (@nojamsrea) September 20, 2024
no one should hate yunah for this, the boycott is mainly outside of korea. most of korea sided with the company and is supporting the new group and plus her friends are in this group. just don’t stream the song. https://t.co/IVu7RVQAgJ
— #1 junwon lover (@rickysh3n) September 20, 2024
wtf are these replies. shes supporting her friends nothing else. grow tf up wdym “wonhee delete this” weird ass bitches https://t.co/emx7k4oAQu pic.twitter.com/c7bP4wjZtR
— i’ll like yizhuocd (@yizhuocd) September 20, 2024
