"THE HATE IS SO FORCED": Fans defend IVE's Wonyoung after her reaction to a child touching her goes viral

On July 22, 2023, fan-took videos of IVE's Wonyoung and other members of the group were passed around on the internet. IVE, along with several other K-pop artists, have currently landed in Marid, Spain, for the KPOP LUX x SUPER SBS CONCERT music festival that took place on Saturday, July 22.

During their off-day, which came before the kickstart of the concert, the members went around the city to exploring and enjoy its attractions. In one such video, where the fans took videos of them during their outing, it can be seen that Wonyoung was moving away from a kid who was trying to touch her.

Given that the child was of the Mexican race, many believed that her response came out of racism and colorism toward the child. However, her fans defended that she was surprised and caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the child.

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Fans come to defend IVE's Wonyoung once again as a video of her reaction to a child touching her sparks debates on the internet

The KPOP LUX x SUPER SBS CONCERT has been one of the most looked-forward-to music festivals of 2023, especially since the headliners include SHINee, ATEEZ, STAYC, xikers, CRAVITY, and ENHYPEN. The music festival was held on July 22, 2023, in Madrid, Spain, and all seven performers are in Madrid for the same purpose.

IVE, also being a performer for the music festival, naturally shifted their schedues to align with the Spainish music festival. When videos and photos of the members roaming around Madrid to explore the city reached the internet, many fans were excited to receive new content from the group. However, their happiness was short-lived when one particular video of IVE's Wonyoung went viral.

The video showed the IVE members walking somewhere. As Wonyoung was walking, a child approached her and tried to touch her. The idol immediately moved backward with a shocked facial expression. Many netizens immediately called her out for being racist and colorist since she refused to touch someone of Mexican descent. However, many fans of the group also came to her defense.

Fans soon defended her by saying how her reaction was only natural and valid. Since the idol has earlier expressed herself to be someone who gets scared easily, fans believe that she was only surprised by the fast and sudden appearance of the child. Given her position as a K-pop idol, there naturally might be several instances where the saesangs invade her privacy and safety.

Moreover, they put forth another video of the idol interacting with children who respected her private space. Fans also expressed that Wonyoung often attracts hatred and criticism for unnecessary and unfair reasons. Since many netizens try to misrepresent and spread negative attachments of words and behavior to the idol, fans have been upset and verbal about the same on Twitter.

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Follwoing the blow-up of the controversy, fans have not only been defending Wonyoung but also been expressing how her actions have always been twisted and she's given a negative image.