“Ugliest Celeb Kid” Debuted as K-pop Idol, Struggles Despite Stunning Transformation

Struggling Debut

19-year-old soloist NINA made her long-awaited debut in the K-pop industry this June under the newly founded BNB Music, but her journey has proven anything but smooth.

Known to Chinese audiences as Shen Jiarun, NINA was once the target of intense online bullying, cruelly dubbed “the ugliest celeb kid.” A decade later, she has blossomed into a confident, trilingual performer fluent in Chinese, Korean, and English. Yet, despite her transformation and bold entry into K-pop, her debut has drawn more sympathy than success.

On June 19, NINA released her first album “Never Afraid” with the title track “Freeze!”. While her agency touted her distinctive voice and self-assured stage presence, the commercial outcome has been underwhelming. In fact, only one album was sold on the first day of release. Over a week later, her total sales still haven’t surpassed 100 units. Meanwhile, the “Freeze!” music video has barely cracked 23,000 views, a strikingly low figure for any K-pop debut, even by “nugu” (unknown) standards.

One major factor behind NINA’s underwhelming start lies in the structure of her launch. BNB Music, her label, was reportedly created solely to facilitate her debut, without traditional K-pop training or pre-debut exposure. As a result, even diehard fans of the genre were largely unaware of her existence. In fact, some observers have speculated that the attention to her poor sales figures may ironically have been BNB Music’s most effective form of publicity.

From Bullying Victim to K-pop Star

NINA’s identity as Shen Jiarun added emotional weight to her debut. She is the daughter of Chinese entertainers Xiao Shenyang and Shen Chunyang, and her appearance on the 2014 reality show The Firsts In Life with her father sparked widespread mockery for her looks, even leading to the nick name “ugliest celeb kid” among Chinese netizens. The backlash was so intense that her father later expressed deep regret over allowing her early exposure to fame.

However, despite the cruelty she faced, young Shen Jiarun stood firm, telling the camera, “Everyone says I look just like my dad. I’m proud of that.” Her father wept upon hearing those words. Now, years later, her transformation – both physically and emotionally, has stunned the public. But beauty alone is no ticket to success in the fiercely competitive K-pop industry.
As of now, NINA’s future remains uncertain. Her debut has failed to make a commercial impact, but her perseverance and personal growth have already struck a chord with many. Whether she can convert that into long-term success remains to be seen, but for now, she stands as a symbol of courage.