A recent post on the popular Korean online community Pann has ignited fierce debate among K-pop fans, drawing attention for its controversial take on female idols’ fashion choices.
The post wrote, “Isn’t it usually men who wear shirts with large numbers?”, questions the rising trend of female idols like Hearts2Hearts wearing oversized shirts with bold numbers, a look traditionally associated with male sports uniforms especially American football jerseys.
The author went further, speculating whether agencies were intentionally styling female idols this way to appeal to lesbian fans who are attracted to “masculine” aesthetics. The post quickly went viral, racking up thousands of views and drawing sharp criticism from across the K-pop community.
The post didn’t just prompt disagreement it drew intense criticism. Some users took issue with what they saw as unnecessary sexualization of fashion and accused the original poster of making inappropriate assumptions about queer fans and gender expression.
Comments ranged from disbelief to outright outrage:
- Who says only men can wear clothes with big numbers on them? What are you talking about? LOL
- That’s just a classic styling that’s been popular for ages.
- I can’t believe I have to live in the same world as someone like this.
- You seriously seem like an idiot… If you have a mental illness, get treatment instead of writing crap online.
- This is the most messed up post I’ve seen in a while.
- If you’re sick, go to the hospital and get a prescription. Having an illness isn’t shameful ignoring it is.
Still, the post has shed light on how closely fans analyze idol styling choices and how quickly those choices can lead to broader conversations about gender expression, image curation, and fan marketing in the K-pop industry.
