i-dle Drops Out Of Korean Charts Amid Multiple Controversies
i-dle, formerly known as (G)I-DLE, is facing increased scrutiny as their latest comeback track “Good Thing” struggles on Korea’s major music charts.
Known for their consistent digital performance in previous years, the group’s new release has fallen short of expectations, and netizens are taking notice.
Within the first hour of its release, “Good Thing” failed to enter MelOn’s Top 100, a first since their debut song “LATATA.” It briefly peaked at #14 on Bugs and #62 on Genie, but the momentum didn’t last.
[DEBUT] i-dle 'Good Thing' – 7PM KST Update:
#14 Bugs (NEW)
#62 Genie (NEW)— i-dle charts (@idlecharts) May 19, 2025
Nearly a full day later, the song only managed to get up to #81 on MelOn before dropping off again. It is currently ranked at a shocking #171 on Genie’s real-time chart and is holding at #46 on Bugs.
The underperformance comes at a time when the group is already under public scrutiny. After officially removing the “G” from their name and rebranding, i-dle released teasers for their new album, We Are. The teasers drew mixed reactions, especially after the group re-recorded older songs with former member Soojin’s parts removed. While the move may have been intended to reflect a new chapter, some fans saw it as erasing the past.
(G)I-DLE’s Rebrand Seems To Reference Former Member Soojin — Sparking Mixed Emotions
I-dle’s Special Album Release Triggers Heavily Divided Reactions Because Of Former Member Soojin
Additional criticism emerged over teaser images, particularly those of Minnie and Soyeon, which some claimed closely resembled Red Velvet Seulgi’s concept from her recent solo release Accidentally, On Purpose.
I-DLE Accused Of “Shamelessly” Plagiarizing Red Velvet’s Seulgi
Yuqi also sparked heavy backlash earlier last week when talking about having to purchase tickets for her friends and family to attend i-dle concerts. Her remarks were deemed “ridiculous” by many netizens and it quickly turned into a hot topic.
I-dle’s Yuqi Hit With Scathing Backlash For “Ridiculous” Comments On Concert Tickets
Despite the backlash and weak chart entries, some fans and netizens are still holding out hope. A post on popular forum Pann titled “i-dle fails to enter the charts… Shocking” has gone viral, sparking heated debate.
- “They’re in their 8th year now. If the public starts picking up on it, the song will rise.”
- “i-dle usually has low initial chart entries. They’re the type of group that climbs if the song is good. They only do one week of promotions, so if the song hits, they’ll shoot up fast lol”
- “It all depends on the public. In two weeks, we’ll know…”
- “They don’t have a strong company fandom backing them, and there are many foreign members. For a group in their 8th year, they’re holding on pretty well.”
- “Personally, I feel like their songs have all started sounding the same at some point.”
