Soyeon of (G)I-DLE Sparks Controversy with Solo Rap at 2024 MAMA Awards

Soyeon of the K-pop group (G)I-DLE has once again found herself at the center of controversy due to her solo rap lyrics. However, she reassured fans about the group's future by expressing that (G)I-DLE is "eternal."

On the afternoon of the 23rd, the 2024 MAMA AWARDS Chapter 2 took place at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan. Soyeon opened the stage for (G)I-DLE and in her solo rap, she stated, "What I want to say is that (G)I-DLE equals eternity, there's no need for such worries, and it's a fact that those pretending otherwise aren't even our fans," indicating the group's continuity.

She continued with lines like, "Creative criticism, fingers full of passion, but if that's from insiders, my cheeks turn red," and "In 2021, you said, 'What can you do without Soojin?' Whether it's contract termination or the company, they'll handle it, and if I were affected by such things, I wouldn't have made it this far."

Some interpret these lyrics as a jab at the recent internal document controversy involving HYBE, sparking debate. Regarding her contract with Cube Entertainment, she hinted at uncertainty by saying, "They'll handle it," suggesting that her future with the company is still undecided. It is reported that Jeon Soyeon is currently considering various options, including renewing her contract with Cube.

Previously, Soyeon caused a stir by publicly announcing the end of her contract during (G)I-DLE's solo concert, and her recent rap performance has once again drawn attention and sparked discussion.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the 'MAMA Awards' theme is 'BIG BLUR: What is Real?' focusing on the fusion and blurring boundaries of different elements to create a 'NEW THING.' The event kicked off on the 22nd at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, USA, and continued in Japan over two days, divided into Chapters 1 and 2.

Choi Ji-ye, TenAsia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr