HYBE Girl Group Collab's 'Controversial' Lyrics Spark Backlash: Netizens Call It Cringe

The much-anticipated collaboration between HYBE girl groups ILLIT, LE SSERAFIM, and KATSEYE has ignited a major backlash, with netizens labeling the song's lyrics as cringe. The music video for the track dropped on June 11 (KST), immediately drawing strong reactions.

While some fans initially appreciated the song's perceived clap-back at haters, the lyrics quickly became a focal point of criticism. Many found the lyrics to be poorly written, and the overall vibe of the song to be off-putting. The theme of being "iconic because people hate us" was particularly criticized as uninspiring and not something to brag about.

A significant portion of the online discussion pointed out that many of the controversies and criticisms faced by the groups stemmed from self-inflicted issues or the actions of their companies, rather than being solely directed by external hate. Some netizens even suggested that if the artists possessed stronger vocal abilities, they might face less criticism.

The sentiment of the lyrics was further questioned, with some recalling instances where members appeared upset by negative comments, making the "I don't care about haters" message seem disingenuous. Accusations were also made that the "hate" directed at the groups was based on factual issues, including allegations of racial mistreatment, plagiarism, and mockery of other groups within the same company.

One particularly sharp critique highlighted the irony of the song's title, "Iconic By Mistake," suggesting that the groups' careers and controversies were manufactured by industry figures like Bang Si-hyuk and Scooter Braun, utilizing promotional tactics and potentially artificial engagement methods.