The beauty standards, especially in the virtual world, are hard to keep up with, even for a professional K-Pop idol. So, it is not a surprise that many of these beautiful artists sometimes resort to tweaking their pictures before posting them online. However, sometimes the editing is so obvious that it ends up inviting backlash from netizens, like in the cases that follow:
1. Lee Mijoo
Mijoo | Art Korea TV
Mijoo’s edited pictures were teasingly revealed on national television by her castmates on Hangout With Yoo. They pointed out that one of her sexy Instagram pictures had the building in the background bent abnormally due to sloppy editing, making the idol burst into a laugh.
Lee Mijoo | @queen.chu_s/Instagram | @queen.chu_s/Instagram
2. Yeri (Red Velvet)
Yeri
Some netizens have periodically accused Yeri of photoshopping her Instagram pictures. A viral post last year pointed out that in a particular photo, the idol looked way taller than her actual height, giving her flack for it. While most comments agreed that the picture was visibly edited, they also defended Yeri, saying it is nobody else’s business how she chooses to post her pictures.
Yeri received flack for editing her height in this photo | Nate Pann
3. JooE (MOMOLAND)
JooE
JooE is another idol who has often been accused of over-editing her pictures on Instagram. In 2020, when she shared her new ID photo, many netizens commented that she looked unrecognizable. The same strain of comments followed in some of her subsequent posts.
4. Winter (aespa)
Winter | @imwinter/Instagram
Aespa’s Winter has been called out for editing her pictures multiple times. In 2022, when she shared a picture taken at the famed Music Bank stairs, netizens quickly noticed that the stair behind her was bent unevenly, hinting at over-editing.
| @aespa_official/Instagram
In 2023, the idol was caught photoshopping her picture again when she shared a mirror selfie from the Canne Film Festival, and the phone in her hand appeared distorted.
Winter’s phone bends on the left side | @imwinter/Instagram
5. Giselle (aespa)
Giselle | @aerichandesu/Instagram
Giselle, another aespa member, has been caught up in Photoshop allegations. A post comparing Giselle’s self-uploaded and fan-taken pictures at Coachella and other live performances went viral in 2022. Many netizens agreed that the difference was undeniable but also said that it was quite normal for people to edit their faces on social media.
The side-by-side comparison made by netizens | Nate Pann
While some netizens resort to bashing idols who choose to edit their pictures, many also understand that these celebrities are under immense pressure to be physically desirable at all times. So, it is normal for them to touch up their pictures before putting them out on the internet, where they will inevitably be scrutinized for every little detail.
