Introduction

Red Velvet's Irene has been riding high on the success of her solo debut album, "Like a Flower," but one significant achievement has eluded her: a music show victory. Fans are placing the blame squarely on SM Entertainment, claiming mismanagement and discrepancies have cost her the honor.

Record-Breaking Debut

Since its release last month, "Like a Flower" has shattered records, selling over 250,000 copies on its first day alone. This milestone made it the seventh highest first-day sales for a female K-Pop soloist in history on the Hanteo chart. Additionally, within its first week, Irene achieved the highest first-week sales for any female soloist under SM Entertainment. With such impressive stats, fans expected her to be the first member of Red Velvet to secure a win on a music show.

Voting Campaign and Discrepancies

Dedicated ReVeluvs launched an all-out campaign for Irene on KBS's Music Bank, culminating in a record-breaking voting spree that amassed an astonishing 983,504 votes, propelling her to the top of the pre-vote rankings. However, when the episode aired on November 6, Irene shockingly did not receive a nomination despite securing the highest pre-vote score of 2,000.

Controversy Over Sales Figures

The controversy stems from conflicting sales figures between the Hanteo and Circle charts. While Hanteo tracks actual retail sales, Circle counts the number of albums shipped to stores, leading to often inflated numbers. Fans were aghast when Circle reported that Irene had only sold 164,802 copies, a staggering disparity compared to Hanteo’s count of 288,911. This gap of over 120,000 copies resulted in Irene receiving only 914 points for physical album sales, leaving her behind in the competition and placing her in third position on the Music Bank’s K-Chart.

Impact on Irene's Competition

Had Circle’s data aligned with Hanteo’s, Irene would have accrued approximately 1,600 physical sales points, potentially propelling her total score above WayV, the eventual winner, who ended with 6,354 points.

Fan Outrage and Demands

This series of events ignited an outrage on social media platforms, where fans accused SM Entertainment of inadequate support for Irene during her solo activities. Many called for an official explanation regarding the discrepancies, with theories flaring up about delayed shipments or inaccuracies in reporting. In stark contrast, WayV’s album sales were properly accounted for, raising eyebrows regarding the fairness in treatment among SM's artists.

Irene's Commitment and Physical Toll

Adding to the emotional turmoil is Irene's evident commitment to her music debut. Despite the pressures of production and scheduling, including a grueling Asia fan concert tour, she continued to pour herself into her work. Her recent vlog with fellow member Seulgi revealed dark bruises on her legs, further amplifying fan disappointment towards SM Entertainment’s lack of support.

Conclusion and Future Prospects

As the uproar grows, ReVeluvs are demanding answers and accountability from SM Entertainment, hoping for an acknowledgment of the situation and a formal apology for the perceived sabotage of Irene's well-deserved recognition. The saga highlights a crucial question in the K-Pop industry about maintaining fairness and integrity in artist promotions, leaving fans anxious about the future of their beloved idols. Will SM Entertainment step up and clarify this issue, or will the backlash continue to simmer? Stay tuned as this story unfolds!