Netizens In A Heated Debate Over THE BOYZ’s New “Calling Out” A Fan On Bubble

Netizens have mixed reactions to the Bubble message and the backlash that followed.

Netizens are currently engaged in a heated debate over THE BOYZ New‘s recent messages on Bubble, which followed his interaction with a fan at the group’s fan sign event.

THE BOYZ | @IST_THEBOYZ/Twitter

K-Pop fans consistently come up with creative and engaging ideas to make an impression on their favorite artists during their short time at fan sign events. Often, fans come up with activities to make the experience more enjoyable for the fan and idols.

In a now-deleted tweet, the OP (original poster) who attended THE BOYZ’s recent in-person fan sign event shared the creative way they made their experience with the group unique.

The OP brought with them a dynamometer to test the members’ grip strength and took note of the results to share with fellow The Bs afterward.

Sangyeon, 1st Place. 54.2
Sunwoo, 53.2
Kevin, 53
Juyeon, 43.3
New, 12

I don’t remember the rest…

— Now-deleted tweet from OP

The OP then shared how THE BOYZ’s Juyeon was having fun with the grip test after asking to try the activity first.

Everline’s in-person fansign review #Juyeon
He wanted to try the hand grip test first… Such a curious baby cat. So adorable 🐱💛
(So far, Sunwoo holds the highest record, but Sangyeon won this round!)

[The caption in the video]
🐱: I want to try that too.

— Now-deleted tweet from OP

Out of the five members whose grip strength the fan tested, THE BOYZ’s New had the lowest reported grip strength.

When another fan saw the results, they asked New (whose birth name is Chanhee) about it on Bubble, and he shared that he told the OP he didn’t want to do the test, so he only participated half-heartedly.

| theqoo
  • The B: Chanhee, what happened to your hand grip test score? 12?
  • New: I didn’t want to test stuff like that. So I barely grabbed the thing. But I guess she ended up posting the score after all… T-T
  • New: I said I didn’t want to do it, though. T-T

After New’s messages, the OP who posted THE BOYZ’s grip strength results received backlash, causing her to delete the original tweet and private her account.

A post on a popular Korean online community board captured OP’s tweets before they were deleted, and an ongoing heated debate was sparked that currently has over 1,900 comments.

Some netizens acknowledged that New had every right to decline the grip strength test but felt that the OP was unnecessarily “called out” through the Bubble messages. Netizens commented that there should have been more consideration towards the OP, knowing that the Bubble message could lead to her receiving hate.

| theqoo
  • “Sounds kind of full of himself… LOL. A grip test is nothing. He couldn’t do it for a fan? Then to go on and call the fan out for it? Who does he think he is? Haha.”
  • “WTF… Did he go on Bubble to call her out? He wants her to be attacked”
  • “He really said, ‘But I guess she ended up posting the score after all…’ That’s the worst part.”
  • “Based on what the fan used to tweet, I don’t think she had any ill intentions. And, I mean, I don’t get what made it so difficult for him to grip the thing… She wasn’t making a huge request. But, you know. I get it, he didn’t want to do it. So whatever. What I’m questioning is why he had to go on Bubble and call her out like that.”
  • “I feel like the fan brought the hand grip thing for funsies. I feel bad for her. He should learn to do better.”
  • “He could always retire if he doesn’t want to live the idol lifestyle. What’s his problem? LMAO.”
  • “None of us like fans who make stupid or over-the-line requests at fansigns. But a hand grip test is literally nothing. He can’t launch a cyber bullying attack on the fan for it… If he wanted to explain his low score, he could’ve done it in a much gentler way.”
  • “Whaaaaaat the f*ck? What’s wrong with him? Geez.”
  • “I feel like Juyeon is literally dragging this team by the collar… but all the other members take turns getting into trouble.”
  • “… sigh.

Others didn’t understand why the topic was being so heavily debated and tried to sympathize with New and the OP and felt the issue should be resolved since the OP took down their post.

| theqoo
  • “I don’t know that this is something to get so heated over…? It seems like he got teased about it in the past. So maybe he was stressed out about it. The fan had she known about his sensitivities, could’ve chosen not to share the score.”
  • “I don’t think she’ll want to attend fansigns from now on…”
  • “I get that he didn’t want to try. But to call her out is… disappointing. I don’t think her request was over the line. And after telling her no and not trying his best, he decided to call her out in public? It’s inconsiderate. He should know better what his comments can end up causing.”
  • “I don’t know that either of them deserves the backlash they’re getting. I see where the fan is coming from, and I see where the idol is coming from. She deleted the tweets. It’s history now. There’s no need for us to target one or the other and attack them for it.”
  • “I don’t really know this member all too well, but I know that he gets teased a lot. My bias is also one of those idols who get teased a lot, so I can almost understand why he got so sensitive about it. Maybe he felt targeted again? I don’t think the fan was in the wrong… If anyone is to blame, it’s the people online who make fun of idols in the first place.”
  • “The fan wasn’t thinking straight. The idol wasn’t thinking straight, either. They were both super inconsiderate to one another.”

As responses to the viral community board post were shared on Twitter, fans came to New’s defense and felt his Bubble message was misinterpreted. Others wondered why OP requested the grip test in a fan sign setting.

The responses to the Bubble messages on the viral community board post and on Twitter steadily grow as netizens continue to debate the appropriateness of OP’s and New’s actions.

Source: theqoo

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