Jisoo (BLACKPINK) and Jimin (BTS), two of the biggest stars in the K-pop industry, have
both received mixed reactions surrounding their recent hit solo debut
K-pop has recently witnessed solo debuts from two members of the top music groups BTS and
BLACKPINK.
Jimin released the album “Face” with the MV “Like Crazy”, while Jisoo debuted as
a solo artist with the single album “ME” and the music video “Flower”.
With their worldwide fame, they have quickly made a splash in the music scene and continued
to break records, proving their immense popularity.
Although the two solo performances may seem unrelated, fans have been buzzing about both
stars for one reason: the controversy over their vocal skills, which doesn't seem to
affect their remarkable achievements.
Controversies surrounding the vocals of Jimin and Jisoo
With regards to Jimin, many fans have expressed concerns about his ability to handle singing
parts as his strength lies in dance and stage performance rather than vocals.
In their respective groups, Jimin and Jisoo hold different roles but neither are the main
vocalists.
Despite this, they have amassed a huge fan base throughout their careers who are ready
to defend their idols against any criticisms of their talent, appearance, or vocals.
Unfortunately, even when performing with their groups or as solo artists, Jimin and Jisoo
have faced mixed opinions about their singing abilities.
There have been several instances where Jimin's singing voice has sounded thin and unable
to reach high notes, leading to disappointment from fans.
Some believe that his singing voice was stable and strong during the release of the album
"The Most Beautiful Moment in Life" with songs such as "I Need You," "Butterfly," and "Hold
Me Tight."
However, during the promotion of "Fake Love," Jimin's voice no longer seemed suitable for
BTS's songs.
And with "Boy with Luv," his voice was severely strained, possibly due to the excessively
high notes in his singing parts and the over-reliance on autotune.
Therefore, when Big Hit announced Jimin's debut solo album, there were mixed reactions
concerning his singing ability and potential success.
As expected, the debate surrounding Jimin's singing abilities came to a head during the
promotional period for "Like Crazy," particularly after his encore stage on M!Countdown.
Despite it being his first music show win as a solo artist and the focus should have
been on showing gratitude to fans and interacting with fellow artists, all attention was instead
drawn to his live vocals during the encore performance.
Many criticized the encore for being imperfect, with weak vocals, breathlessness, and unclear
singing even when he wasn't performing choreography.
Meanwhile, Army gave many reasons to defend their idol.
Many fans believed that his packed schedule made it challenging to fit in vocal training
sessions, and that singing many high notes over an extended period of time has weakened
his voice.
However, those reasons couldn't cover up his terrible encore performance at M!Countdown.
Similar to Jimin, Jisoo has also been doubted for her singing abilities, particularly when
performing solo without her group mates.
While Rosé is the main vocalist, Lisa is the main dancer, and Jennie is the main rapper,
Jisoo is often considered the least standout member.
Additionally, as a member of a world-famous girl group, Jisoo had to meet even higher
standards for her solo debut, particularly when it comes to her vocal skills.
Despite receiving praise for its visually stunning music video and catchy beat, Jisoo's
solo debut with "Flower" has drawn criticism from neutral audiences who feel that the song
is too demanding for her vocal abilities.
Her performance has been described as lackluster and lacking uniqueness in terms of pronunciation,
singing style, and tone quality.
Some even believe that Jisoo's vocals do not do justice to the beat and that the song cannot
compete with the solo releases of her fellow Blackpink members.
However, Jisoo's most recent live performance of "Flower" at Tokyo Dome Born Pink D-1 has
been considered a highlight in terms of her vocal abilities.
She demonstrated a relatively stable vocal performance and improved stage presence.
Her live performance on Inkigayo also received many positive comments regarding her singing,
visual appearance, and dancing skills.
Despite mixed reactions, 'Like Crazy' and 'Flower' still receive remarkable success
Despite receiving mixed opinions and doubts about their skills, it cannot be denied that
Jimin and Jisoo have achieved immense popularity and success on global music charts.
They have made a significant impact not only in their home country of South Korea but also
around the world.
Impressive accomplishments in global markets
praise.
Thanks to this album, Jimin achieved a high ranking in the notoriously difficult UK music
market.
"Like Crazy" ranked at #8 on the UK Charts, and Jimin is also the highest-ranking solo
K-pop artist on this chart.
The "Like Crazy" music video garnered 34 million views in just 8 days.
The EP Face ranked at #2 on the Billboard 200.
The title track, "Like Crazy," also successfully conquered the top spot in the 100 best-selling
singles in the US market.
As of now, Jimin is the first and only K-pop solo artist to achieve this feat.
It's clear that despite any controversies surrounding Jimin's singing skills, his impact
and achievements globally cannot be diminished.
Jisoo, on the other hand, received a lot of criticism, but was highly praised by NME (a
UK music press, magazine, and review organization), who gave her solo single album "ME" a rating
of 4/5.
The magazine described "Flower" as an unpredictable song that blends sophistication, creativity,
and contemporary elements with traditional sounds.
With this single album, Jisoo joined the likes of top artists such as Taylor Swift and Adele
by becoming the third female artist to sell a million copies in the first week of release.
Subsequently, a new set of Spotify records were broken for the number of streams on the
first day.
The global homepage of Spotify showed that "Flower" garnered a total of 4,674,337 streams,
peaking at #6 on the Global Spotify Chart, setting a new record for the highest peak
and most streams achieved by a solo female K-pop artist to date.
Moreover, the b-side track "All Eyes on Me" reached #16 with a display of 3,104,156 views.
With these remarkable accomplishments, "Flower" became the single with the highest peak on
Spotify for a solo female K-pop artist to date.
"Flower" has also dominated platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
In just 8 days after its release, the "Flower" music video has racked up an impressive 102
million views on YouTube, once again showcasing BLACKPINK's ability to attract viewers.
On TikTok, the dance version of the song released on March 6th has already garnered 38 million
views.
These are remarkable numbers for a newly released solo project in the highly competitive K-pop
industry.
The massive appeal in their home country of South Korea
In Korea, despite not yet topping the music charts, Jimin and Jisoo have achieved impressive
positions.
After 2 weeks of release, Jimin's "Like Crazy" climbed up to #3 on MelOn, while Jisoo's "Flower"
has surpassed 300,000 unique listens and peaked at #2 on the MelOn chart.
Jisoo's solo track continues to perform well on music charts and on YouTube.
"Like Crazy" has also earned Jimin four music show wins, including two victories over Jisoo
on M!Countdown and Music Bank.
Despite not yet going on promotion shows, BLACKPINK's eldest member also earned her
first trophy on April 5th.
Until now, the solo endeavors of two global K-pop idols, BTS's Jimin and BlackPink's Jisoo,
remain a hot topic on music forums and social media.
Along with their new achievements and records, their unstoppable influence and impact cannot
be denied.
However, being on the "top" also subjects them to scrutiny and higher standards, especially
when it comes to their vocal abilities.
Despite the ongoing debates, both Jimin and Jisoo have made significant marks in their
solo projects, achieving resounding success in their first foray as solo artists.
So, in your opinion, why these 2 idols are still so successful with their solos despite
being criticized for their vocal ability?