LE SSERAFIM has become the center of a heated debate following their recent performance on the 13th at one of America’s biggest music festivals, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, simply referred to as Coachella. The girls delivered a sensational 40-minute set that included hits like “ANTIFRAGILE,” “FEARLESS,” “UNFORGIVEN” with Nile Rodgers, and even an unreleased song “1-800-hot-n-fun.”
The group has been in the spotlight not only for their dynamic performance but also due to an online controversy. While their performance skills remained unchallenged, their live vocals drew significant criticism.
그래서 이게 지금
노래방에있는 나랑 내친구들이아니라
르세라핌 코첼라무대라고? pic.twitter.com/2V1X1GE0FF— 떠냇 (@tteonhat3) April 14, 2024
Particularly, a short clip showing Kim Chaewon in a less flattering light has sparked intense discussion among netizens. The video, merely ten seconds long, focuses on a moment where Chaewon appears to struggle with a high note, with the clip titled in a way that highlights this as a vocal mishap—”So you’re telling me this isn’t a video of me and my friends at karaoke night? This is LE SSERAFIM at Coachella?”
This exposure comes despite the group’s otherwise commendable performance, which had been met with overwhelming enthusiasm at the festival and a rapid influx of fans at the venue. The performance at Coachella marked a significant milestone as it came just a year and a half after their debut, setting a record for the fastest time a Korean act has performed there since their debut.
Back home, the reaction has been polarized. While some viewers expressed disappointment, others accused the clip of being maliciously edited. Comments ranged from critiques about her performance — “Just disappointing,” “Was this the best they could do?” and “HYBE, a large corporation, seems to struggle with overcoming the fundamental issues that come from hastily putting together a team focused on visuals and performance.” — to supportive messages underscoring the challenges of live performances — “This could happen while performing,” “It felt real and that’s what matters.”
