Korean Netizens Slam Foreign Fans’ Picks For TripleS’ Stage Names

Innovative girl group TripleS, created by Modhaus, has become the center of a heated debate. Known for pioneering a decentralized approach in the music industry, TripleS allows fans to have a direct say in the group’s decisions through NFT photo cards known as “Objekts.” And Korean netizens think that overseas fans aren’t making the right choices.

TripleS has 24 members. | @triplescosmos/X (formerly known as Twitter)

TripleS — which officially debuted on February 13 of last year — with their extended play (EP) titled Assemble, has embraced a unique concept where members possess a special ability known as “S.” These talents are showcased through “Dimension,” with the group undergoing a transformation every season to introduce new concepts. The group’s structure is fluid, with members rotating between the group, sub-units, and solo activities based on fan decisions.

One of the group’s sub-units, Acid Angels from Asia. | Modhaus

Fans can vote on various aspects of the group’s direction, including the release of songs, the formation and naming of sub-units, the design of the lightstick, and even the stage names of the last two members.

S24이 여러분을 기다리고 있어요.
서로를 알아가기 위해서는 활동명이 필요해요. WAV 여러분들은 본명 또는 새로운 예명 중 어떤 활동명을 원하시나요? S24의 활동명을 정하는 Gravity가 예정되어 있습니다. 의미 있고 특별한 순간을 함께해요.
S24 블라인드 더블 클래스 오브젝트 보상인 S24 328Z…

— tripleS official (@triplescosmos) April 4, 2024

However, this groundbreaking fan participation model has sparked controversy, especially among South Korean netizens, over the decision to allow international fans to choose stage names for the members. A discussion that attracted over 30,000 views and more than 200 comments unfolded on the popular Korean internet forum TheQoo.

tripleS
Event Gravity
S24 Stage Name

Final Result
지연 JiYeon#tripleS #트리플에스 pic.twitter.com/GbKdrMxdq9

— tripleS official (@triplescosmos) April 7, 2024

Many Korean fans expressed dissatisfaction with the names selected by the international community, suggesting that non-Korean fans might not have the cultural understanding necessary to choose appropriate Korean names.

| Modhaus

Preferred names like Yeonseo were mentioned, with some netizens pointing out the beauty of such names and questioning the inclusion of certain elements in the chosen names. Concerns were also raised about the potential for name duplication, noting that certain proposed names are already common among other celebrities.

• “Ugh, you guys are so unhelpful, seriously. Yeonseo is way prettier.”
• “Yeonsuh or Yooha were the pretty ones.”
• “Yeonsuh is so much better, Jiyeon has a friend in T-ARA.”
• “We know our names better! You guys don’t know anything!!”
• “Huh, Jiyeon…? Did foreigners vote on this…? There are already a few Jiyeons.”
• “It’s like a fan name from Girls’ Generation Seohyun style, LOL. I think I would have been happy with Jiseoyeon.”
• “Just pick a nice English name. It’ll be fine.”
• “I’m curious why ‘Suh’ was included in the first place. Was it registered like that in her passport?”
• “Yeonsuh is pretty.”
• “Jiseoyeon is pretty, too, and it’s nice since her last name is Ji.”
• “Just go with Yeonsuh.”

| TheQoo

As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this innovative approach will evolve and how it will address the concerns of both Korean and international fans.