First-Gen Idol Fiercely Defended Against Comments Calling Her “Grandma”

How old is too old for K-Pop?

A first-generation iconic female idol recently sparked some polarizing reactions from netizens after dropping the teaser images of her upcoming album.

The idol in question is BoA, often referred to as the “Queen of K-Pop.”

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BoA | @boakwon/Instagram

Ahead of her comeback with The 11th Album: Crazier, BoA recently released some drop-dead gorgeous concept photos rocking blonde hair and an edgy look with a short skirt, smokey eyes, and lip piercing.

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| SM Entertainment
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| SM Entertainment

These photos drew heated responses as they offered something completely fresh and different from what BoA has done in her long-spanning career. However, some malicious comments were directed at BoA’s age, implying that she was too old for such a concept.

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K-Pop fans came to BoA’s defence strongly, highlighting why such comments are harmful and how they point toward a disturbing trend in the K-Pop spaces.

At 38, BoA has one of the longest-running careers among all K-Pop idols and has had a significant contribution in building and popularizing Korean pop music worldwide. The fact that she is routinely attacked with ageist comments while pop stars her age are topping charts globally points to the necessity of introspection on the part of certain fans and the industry as a whole.

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