Did ZEROBASEONE queerbait fans? K-pop stars face mixed reactions over candy game segment on Inkigayo

Okay-pop community ZEROBASEONE has came upon itself on the centre of a web based firestorm after a most up-to-the-minute section from their promotional actions gained like a flash traction, nonetheless no longer fully for the reasons they also can be mindful anticipated.

As piece of their comeback promotions, ZEROBASEONE looked on SBS Inkigayo’s YouTube sigh sequence, known for its lighthearted games and on the relief of-the-scenes interactions with idols. During the section, the community took piece in loads of acquainted idol games; regarded as one of which modified into the Pepero Sport, a as soon as-favorite fan-current job that saw heavy rotation in earlier generations of Okay-pop.

The candy game involves two people biting every conclude of a candy stick, with the aim of leaving the shortest doubtless remainder with out breaking it. Naturally, this time and yet yet again ends in moments of close physical proximity and prankish stress between contributors, one thing that feeble to be regarded as harmless enjoyable by both idols and followers in the 2nd and third generations of Okay-pop.

ZEROBASEONE’s participation introduced a sense of nostalgia for longtime followers of the vogue, especially those that remembered identical moments from early time. The community’s chemistry and willingness to have interaction in classic fanservice resulted in clips from the video going viral across platforms comparable to TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram.

Then yet yet again, what began as a throwback to early idol sigh rapidly evolved true into a contentious dialogue. A rising desire of netizens began criticizing the community’s resolution to play the game, accusing them of “queerbaiting” – a term feeble when entertainers, time and yet yet again in media, impress at comparable-intercourse attraction or intimacy to allure and find attention of particular audiences with out offering authentic LGBTQ+ illustration.

Critics argued that such sigh is also deceptive or exploitative, especially when it’s feeble to tease uncommon subtext with out acknowledging or supporting uncommon identities in predominant ways. Some viewers felt miserable with how the game modified into offered and questioned whether these forms of interactions had a mutter in up-to-the-minute idol sigh, given how world and various the Okay-pop fanbase has change into.

A predominant desire of followers hasty came to ZEROBASEONE’s defense, asserting that the candy game is piece of a lengthy-standing custom in Okay-pop entertainment and need to no longer robotically be labeled as problematic. Many highlighted that the intent on the relief of the game looked innocent and light-hearted, and that jumping to conclusions about the members’ sexualities or motivations modified into both presumptive and unfair.

Despite the blended reactions, the incident doesn’t seem to be mindful majorly impacted ZEROBASEONE’s momentum. The community, fashioned by Mnet’s truth provide an explanation for Boys Planet, has hasty risen to stardom since debuting in 2023. With an intriguing fanbase is known as ZE_ROSE, the community continues to grow their world footprint, pushing the boundaries of what fourth-generation Okay-pop can seem like.