Heartbroken 4th-Gen Idol Apologises For Covering SHINee Taemin’s “Guilty” After Harsh Criticism

OnlyOneOf‘s Nine has unexpectedly found himself at the center of controversy following his cover of SHINee Taemin‘s hit single “Guilty.” The performance, which took place during OnlyOneOf’s latest concert in Seoul, showcased Nine’s take on both the song’s vocals and its viral choreography.

OnlyOneOf’s Nine | 8D Entertainment

“Guilty” has become a popular choice for covers among young idols, riding the wave of its widespread acclaim on platforms like TikTok and live performances. Taemin’s songs have historically been a favorite among idols for covers, given their intricate choreography and vocal challenges, so this hasn’t come as a surprise.

However, Nine’s rendition did not sit well with a segment of Taemin’s fan base. Some SHINee fans accused the OnlyOneOf member of disrespecting Taemin by allegedly using a version of the song not sung by Taemin or himself, leading to confusion over the attribution of the cover.

This is horrible and why is this guy using an illegally recorded cover as the background!? https://t.co/xsZd4HMY13

— Maria saw SHINee (@kuyashiineko) March 10, 2024

Apparently the ‘backlash’ is stemming from the fact that people think that it isn’t Nine or Taemin singing to Nine’s dance cover but a member of TxT instead. Let’s politely correct them that it is Nine’s own cover, it’s a misunderstanding & no need for drama :)

— Connie | average paper crane enjoyer (@just_that_gir1) March 10, 2024

Furthermore, other fans expressed discomfort with what they perceived as an “oversexualization” of the original choreography. This harsh criticism ignited a flurry of backlash against Nine, sparking a debate among fans accusing him and those defending the idol.

like wtf is this garbage, bro can’t even maneuver his hand properly. you tried to turn guilty into the sexy song that it isn’t but you aren’t even sexy. pack this shit up https://t.co/UuCGFX1oej

— TAEMIN FREEDOM (@hyunetaem) March 10, 2024

In response, fans of OnlyOneOf accused SHINee fans of using homophobic slurs towards Nine, while others have condemned those who brought down Nine’s dancing and singing.

praising taemin for androgyny and his gender presentation during performances only to turn around and call nine the f slur for covering him… LMAO https://t.co/wqoQ2PsOqG

— kevin.com (@computercart) March 11, 2024

taemin biggest ops are solo stans akgaes fr like so many of u jumped on onlyoneof nine without fact checking first if they credited tm & which audio they used. do u get a special kind of high when u jump on someone and spread hatred?

— . (@shwlvt) March 11, 2024

"he's disrespecting the original song" girl it's a dance cover segment of the concert and nine made his own vocal version to go along with it too. y'all need to get a grip and focus on SM ACTUALLY trying to erase taemin instead of hating on ooo when tm himself appreciates them https://t.co/2xNq0miOsf pic.twitter.com/ysvr0VKwM7

— ezra (@j1nyangie) March 10, 2024

SHAWOL

you do not have to enjoy the cover nine did for guilty. he recorded it using his own voice (not ai), and does not dance like taemin – WHICH IS OKAY!

what is NOT okay is using slurs to attack him. he is not being mean to your idol, please do not be mean to ours https://t.co/ADLuzMAL2d

— el d-36/38 to ooo (@ykbjinillie) March 10, 2024

After seemingly having seen the online discourse and backlash, Nine took to Bubble to issue an apology to his fans and the wider audience. The idol’s message was filled with disappointment and upset, all while expressing his deep admiration for Taemin and his work.

Sigh… I tried the best that I can but I realized that some people may think of it in a different way. I need to be more careful in the future. I can’t even match 1/4 of Taemin-nim, so I wrote Taemin-nim’s song in my own way after contemplating how to rearrange and record it. I wanted it to sound as best as possible, so I listened to the original tract so many times. I will become the Nine who continues to do his very best .. as Taemin sunbaenim’s big big big big big fan.

— Nine via Bubble

Nine on Bubble | Bubble

 

Fans have since been rallying behind Nine, proving those who accused him of disrespecting Taemin wrong. You can watch Nine’s full cover of “Guilty” here: