ILLIT’s Wonhee has been caught in the act of reporting malicious comments live during a broadcast, leading to a split in netizen opinions.
The incident unfolded during a live stream on May 15, held to celebrate the 50th day since ILLIT’s debut. The event has since drawn considerable attention across various online communities and YouTube.
During the broadcast, while other members were engaged in conversation, Wonhee was seen constantly interacting with her phone. Despite occasionally nodding and responding, her focused attention on her phone didn’t go unnoticed by viewers.
Netizens speculated that Wonhee was actively deleting malicious comments streaming live, sparking a spectrum of reactions.
Recently, the group has been under the scanner for plagiarism accusations following comments from Ador’s Min Hee Jin about ILLIT being a copy of NewJeans. Accusations of copying NewJeans’ music, choreography, and concept have amplified negative scrutiny and malicious comments.
In response to Wonhee’s actions, some fans expressed sympathy, commenting, “What fault do the kids have?” “ILLIT is suffering because of the adults’ disputes,” “It’s wrong to criticize ILLIT,” “Thinking of the young members’ pain is heartbreaking,” and “Stop harassing ILLIT.”
Conversely, some viewers suggested the situation might be staged.
They pointed out unusual factors such as Wonhee sitting at the very end, exchanging glances with someone before receiving a phone, and seemingly deleting comments, which they felt were orchestrated.
Skeptical viewers commented, “Malicious comments are wrong, but this situation seems like a viral stunt,” “Is ILLIT trying to frame themselves as victims?” “Reporting comments openly seems performative,” “Why would staff suddenly give her a phone during a live broadcast?” and “Are they trying to garner sympathy?”
Meanwhile, ILLIT continues to rise in popularity both domestically and internationally with their debut title track ‘Magnetic’ and follow-up ‘Lucky Girl Syndrome.’
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