Red Velvet Irene & Seulgi’s Controversial Teaser Sparks Hilarious Male Idol Comparisons

A recent teaser photo for Red Velvet’s Irene & Seulgi unit album has ignited widespread reactions across Korean online communities, particularly after a post on Theqoo turned a simple concept image into a viral talking point.

The now-infamous teaser features a suggestive visual that many interpreted as symbolizing an “oyster and pearl”. At first glance, the image seemed artsy and stylized but one theqoo user took the conversation in a new direction by asking, “What if a male idol group released a teaser like this?”

To illustrate, the user posted a photo of a banana dripping with condensed milk, drawing a hilarious but jarring parallel. The internet responded swiftly with comments like: “Now that I’ve seen it, I can’t unsee it,” “This comparison is too accurate,” and “Imagine the outrage if this was a boy group teaser.”

While the teaser alone may not have raised eyebrows for some, many users agreed that when viewed in the context of the full photo set, the metaphor becomes more overt. One detail that especially caught attention was a pearl with a cryptic phrase written on it, further fueling interpretations of deeper meaning or intentional provocation.

Online commenters debated the imagery’s intent. Some praised it for being bold and avant-garde, while others found the concept uncomfortably ambiguous particularly when viewed through a gender-reversed lens.

• It should be subtly hinted at to be good, but it’s forced too much, so it feels off-putting.
• The moment I saw the first photo, I thought, “Are they crazy?”
• I get the sexual vibe, but I don’t see the queerbaiting. Honestly, are there even idols in our country who openly come out as LGBTQ+?
• I was fine with it, but maybe that cave alone would be confusing. Since there were four pearls, I thought there was more room for interpretation. It wasn’t just that one image—it was probably placed among several concept photos to create a sense of order, so I thought the arrangement was okay. But I see your point now…
• So I wasn’t the only one feeling a bit “hmm” about the oyster photo.

Whether seen as art or innuendo, Irene & Seulgi’s teaser has certainly succeeded in sparking conversation. The visual metaphor, paired with the creative theqoo comparison, turned a simple promo image into a viral moment that’s now hard to forget.