KPOP Groups on Life Support: Lightsum's Uneventful Career

[@amber_kae]

Hey everyone! First off, I need to pin a CORRECTION in regards to the Produce 101/48 point made in the video. I didn't watch either season, so that makes me the misinformed dummy for just assuming that Soyeon was eliminated before Eunbin, but a couple of you guys have told me that she wasn't. She placed 20th in the final episode and Eunbin placed 35th before elimination. Though Soyeon didn't get into I.O.I, she did remain longer than Eunbin. Sorry for the misinformation! Also, I really do want to say thank you to everyone who decided to watch, like and comment. I truly appreciate anyone who took time out of their day to listen to my random stream of conscienceness.

[@nightingale4786]

thanks for the correction! although you're /technically not wrong abt one thing: eunbin was indeed more popular that soyeon during the earlier episodes but then cube fumbled the bag astronomically by putting out a statement that said 'if eunbin doesn't make it to the final lineup she'll be added to clc' which pissed netizens off plus made them stop voting for her since they felt she already had a career set so what was she doing on the show. she literally was gone by the next elimination. i honestly think she would've had a better chance of making it into ioi than soyeon if cube wasn't so goddamn stupid

[@Carazhan]

@@nightingale4786 right, plus with soyeon also there it read as favoritism bc despite having more to show and more success overall, soyeon was treated to none of the same promises that cube made with eunbin. as i recall, some of eunbin's votes actually ended up going toward soyeon as a show of pettiness.

[@nightingale4786]

@@Carazhan yeah exactly. i think soyeon didn't even have a proper trainee contract at that time so they just sent her for blood. and i think it was the only week where soyeon made it into the top 11, it's a shame netizens wouldn't shut up about her visuals or would constantly say she didn't fit the ioi image (but now in light of the rigging scandal, it's obvious she would've been rigged out even if she did make enough votes). either way, i'm proud of what she's been able to accomplish despite being part of a company that barely knows what they're doing

[@Carazhan]

@@nightingale4786 true, though i like to think that rather than her succeeding in spite of cube's occasional fuckery, she's grown into an accomplished producer and psuedo-manager for her own group because of it. in a more capable agency she probably wouldn't have to work so hard, and gidle would look very different today.

[@4minutesleft544]

As a 4minute ult, and someone who’s been at clc and idles debut (I kinda fell out of kpop for a bit when lightsum debuted), I think I have a take that a lot of people aren’t talking about. Lightsums situation is eerily similar to early CLC. CLC debuted during 4minutes peak fame and with the opposite concept of 4m which was just asking for clc to flop. All eyes were on 4minute that year and no one paid attention to CLC. Which is pretty much identical to GIDLE and lightsum. It’s a little upsetting that cube didn’t learn. When they have such popular groups and pillars of kpop like 4minute and idle they just need to focus on them. Debuting other groups during their peak has just never worked out for them. Maybe when IDLE leaves, lightsum will develop a niche fanbase just like CLC did when 4minute disbanded. Even looking at their music video qualities they’re similar. 4minute and idle seemed to have always had high quality MVs (and that may be because both groups were very involved in the creative process with hyuna Sohyun and jiyoon writing, gayoon being the lead stylist and Soyeon ofc too) while clc and lightsum never seemed to have that same quality 4m and idle got. Also just wanted to mention that 4minute was VERY successful at debut! Very similar to idles situation, just at a different moment in time when kpop wasn’t as huge. So i wouldn’t say idle was the only exception to instant fame, but followed in 4minutes footsteps to success, just with more explosive numbers since kpop is so huge now. Bc 4minute has always been huge! They’re the first gg outside of the big 3 to reach 100m views! Idk I just think they’re a super important thing to look at when analyzing cubes groups as they paved the way for a ton of non big 3 groups

[@zosiexofficial]

wow your observation is really on point i think

[@Carazhan]

i think what contributes to this problem is lightsum's debut timing being really poor, just as clc's was. cube really couldn't have predicted exactly how the turn of the 3rd gen went at the time, but by a) going through a company concept reversal like you've said, and b) not predicting that a BUNCH of large players were going to all debut girl groups with cute/pure/teen concepts around the same time, they sent clc in to be slaughtered. if they had debuted a year earlier they would've had a chance. if they debuted a year later they would've been able to see clearly that clc wouldn't be able to compete with pepe. maybe they should've used some more industry connections to figure out what their competitors were going to do - and that inattentiveness is the only thing we can really concretely blame them for in regards to that debut. then, gidle miraculously debuts at the best time for them with the best concept they could've - blackpink drove up interest in girl crush and then went awol, so there was a gap in the market screaming for a competitor. that call was answered in spades by everyone and their dog, but gidle came first. was that planned or was that dumb luck? we don't know. but problem is, the aftereffects saturated the market for darker concepts, so when it came to lightsum, cube was presented with: compete against a bunch of more established girl crush-adjacent groups+ gidle themselves (and maybe clc, depending on how early into planning they decided to put them on life support), or push out a lighter concept like they had tried with clc with less apparent competitors. problem of course is, a) same thing as clc - company concept reversal, and b) .... same thing as clc - all the large players did the same thing. and unfortunately i don't think with lightsum they could've avoided that timing - covid meant they couldn't have pushed out lightsum's debut any earlier, and they had already waited quite a long time and were starting to run the risk of hemorrhaging trainees who had lost patience for an uncertainty - including their biggest name, chowon, who they clearly wanted to capitalize on before her produce popularity had fully vanished (which happened more rapidly than with soyeon, because with soyeon they had the option of giving her solo promotions while getting the group ready). so idk, best case scenario maybe would've been to wade out lightsum through fully digital promotions while covid restrictions were still happening because they would've had so few competitors. but with regard to "it's a little upsetting that cube didn’t learn" - i think overall the opposite is true, i think cube is too scared of history repeating that they're inadvertently stumbling in similar ways bc they haven't learned from their successes, only their failures.

[@bastetowl3258]

yes, i was going to comment about 4minute. i think cube were blindsided because they were used to having instant success with their girl groups and then the situation with clc happened. at least it seems they’re trying harder with lightsum but there’s nothing that really makes them stand out to me among a sea of new groups. g-idle has the brand of self-producing idol, dreamcatcher is strictly darker rock influenced, mamamoo’s focus is vocals, and they had a retro debut concept that stood out from what the other groups were doing at the time. lightsum doesn’t seem to have anything like that

[@EstefanixRox]

But that's a lie, Lightsum debuted the worst year for (G)I-DLE, 2021, is the long hiatus, no promo that is fucking this girls since they started and still have better sales than CLC and (G)I-DLE's debut era. Later (G)I-DLE slapped the entire industry with Tomboy but it was their last chance to survive, so no, they debuted lightsum when they shouldn't but because Cube had a huge controversy, not because of (G)I-DLE popularity

[@matthewhocking3575]

Thank you for this nuanced and fair take on Lightsum! I have a lot of thoughts about the group, many of which you have noted here. Here are a couple things, that I believe hurt the group from the time of their debut: - They were obviously rushed together as a response to the Soojin scandal. I think Cube put together their best crop of trainees without any regard to whether or not their sounds, aesthetics or personalities went together. This was addressed on their reality show "Do You Lightsum" during which Juhyeon notes that the girls really hadn't spent much time together and felt that they'd debuted in a hurry. As a result, you have a group where half of the members are cute and half are "girl crush", which can work if it fits the concept or if they've had time to figure out the chemistry, but they didn't have that time. So Sangah's edgier look and Chowon's more mature look clashed with the cuteness of a Huiyeon or a Hina, and they didn't have a good way to balance that out. I think by Into the Light, they've figured some of that out, but that's stuff they should've done pre-debut. - Their variety content is very bland. One thing I think about when I think of Lightsum is an episode of some variety show that they did early after Vanilla. They are playing a game where their teams are trying to flip cards to their colors and Nayoung stops in the middle of the game to call the rest of the group out for not being loud or interesting enough for TV. All the girls seem nice and sweet, but Nayoung can't carry the whole "TV ready" personality for a whole group of six (or eight). Their KZbin channel is full of videos of the group being very kind and polite and often awkward, earnestly playing games together and excellent covers. They've gotten a little better...but when people are starting to get into the group, the members all having well defined and distinct personalities is even more important. I hope they're all getting some media training. That being said, I saw them in concert when they were in the US and they were awesome. They had a really good buzz during the KCon tour and at the end of last year with their performances, so I do believe the right song and situation they can have a good career long term. The benefit of being in a company the size of Cube is that if Lightsum can turn a profit, they'll be active for a long, long time. The negative, of course, is that unless they write their own songs or pave their own way like Idle have, their support system will be limited.

[@amber_kae]

Yeah, ultimately I think the girls would benefit from a soft reboot with a clean slate, and a fresh new image. Since the member lineup change, it seems like they might be going in that direction. There’s also been rumors that they’ve been rehearsing for something soon to come so maybe there’s a comeback announcement coming in the near future and they can pick up where they left off to better solidify their fandom.

[@96hmph96]

@@amber_kae what do you think about them disbanding and redebuting under a new name? I feel that would work better. If it is still under the same name, I doubt gp would still want to listen in, even after the lineup change. GP might not even know about the lineup change. A new name can attract better attention.

[@amber_kae]

@@96hmph96 It could work, especially since it looks like they may pull a concept change. But that’s also a risk because even though it did wonders for Dreamcatcher, it’s kind of tarnished Weeekly’s image when they went from bright to dark. It also depends on the song as well. Weeekly’s concept change wasn’t polarizing just because of the image change, but also because Ven Para was so universally disliked by a lot of people. If Lightsum gets matched with a really good song to go along with their potential concept change, I think they’ll fare better.

[@reecegraham6921]

Your point abt the group lacking stage chemistry is interesting. I said the same thing abt Gugudan. And they also had a rushed debut bc their company wanted to ride produce101’s popularity (couldn’t even wait for the IOI members 9 month contract to end). Obviously they didn’t make it bc of multiple factors but the lack of stage chemistry really quite jarring to me But unlike Lightsum, their lack of cohesiveness is more on talent/speciality instead of style. Gugudan’s vocal powerhouses were average to weak dancers and sometimes they look like they would’ve prefer if they didn’t have to dance at all or just going through the motions. Meanwhile their dance machines are average or weak vocalists (although good at harmonizing) and don’t really get to showcase their main specialty in their choreos which is a bummer. Out of 9 only abt 3 members are able to blend well on stage Though their stages pulled tgt pretty decently over time, I’ve always thought that their lineup didn’t really do them justice. Though it sounds cruel, I would say if they cut off at least 3 members from the start, their cohesion as a group would’ve been better. And since Lightsum seems to be going this route, I am actually excited to see if it’ll make any difference and/or improve their stage chemistry

[@caffoycat]

I think this is also due to the small fandom size with a lack of proper editors. Another group we can use as a parallel example is CLC, they were said to have no chemistry together, which if you know the girls, you'd know that's not true. However, as an outsider, it can certainly seem that way. Why? There are barely any popular shows and videos where CLC had the chance to stand out imo. Let's take their cheat keys as an example. Most are just boring vlogs with no proper direction. Some people enjoy them, some don't. Now let's say they had a proper idea what they were gonna do in the video, for example, playing some type of game. It would be much more interesting and would get non-fans interested. Hello82 is a good example of this. They're a channel that takes kpop groups, gives them a specific video idea (whisper challenge etc), they film it, edit it well, and boom, 3 million views. A simple vlog where the idols just are tired after staying away for 36 hours will never be interesting, no matter who the idol is. That also ties into the fandom & editors, some nctzen suddenly took unknown and old CLC videos where they did a ghost prank, other stuff etc. With their proper editing style and better outreach to bigger fandoms, the videos blew up, people who had no idea about CLC but still enjoyed their personalities. So TLDR: Lighstum needs better ways to show their personalities with fun ideas and more chances to appear on interesting idol shows.

[@notcrispynough]

I think the problem with Cube Entertainment is that, they don't seem to observe the market or what the fans is looking for in their idols. Even though they had Beast which I still love even as Highlight, and BtoB, the king of ballads. I feel like Cube Entertainement image is not them and that they don't know themselves. Big four companies have an identity, we know what they're known for, Cube, we don't. CLC had great songs, and I like them, but even if the members were talented, the debuts were great, the followups were quite good, there was something lacking with them. They were clearly mismanaged like the company did not know what to do with them, they switched their sounds a lot, and when they found one, they switched again without even listening to the fans which saw the potentiel of this group to become a selfproduced one with Sorn, Yeeun, and Seungyeon. They had their 1st win with a song made by Soyeon. This is where they failed to noticed what the fans wanted to see. So this was the end for them. I feel like they understood a bit with Pentagon, which is why they had a breakthrough with Shine, unfortunately the Hyuna and Dawn thing was terrible. They lost their momentum and when they came back, the sound was so different from Shine that it made them lost their fans. And they had to start over again but I feel like they just followed Monsta X, Ateez, Straykids, the heavy sound a lot of male groups that was there for a moment. With Idle it's different. First, they were not supposed to debut. Second, Cube didn't have a song for them so Soyeon took into her hands their debut song, and mini album. Latata is a good song because it's easy to listen, easy to sing, repetitive and enough bounce to it to be memorable. On stage, they are charismatics despite their youthful look. Soyeon being on unpretty rapstar left her quite known to the public which helps attract people, that's why she was in a very different outfit in the beginning. Idle is the combinaison of what Cube Entertainement failed to aknowledge the fans wants to see from their idols. Soyeon even to these days says that Cube does not agree with her songs and often the title tracks, but since she pushed it's released and became a success. LATATA, UH-OH, OMG, TOMBOY, NXDE. This company don't listen to the fans, to their idols and don't observe the market. Cube is known for producing really good idols, their training is good and impactful. Their idols can all play instruments, sing, compose, write, produce, dance, and the rappers can usually write their own rap. The training is good, so why don't they let their idols do things themselves when it's when their idols are involved that they somehow chart. Cube management team is lacking and it's a fact even tough we don't what's behind the scene. I really feel like Lightsum could have followed the light Idle brings to Cube if they were Selfproduced and had a better song because clearly Vanilla was not it and even the girls talent couldn't help. What's following up is not impactful enough, people don't notice them. They don't bring anything new, and even if luck is part of a success, the company could do better if they changed a few things. But Cube Entertainement don't seem to learn, and that's why their next groups will fail despite the fact that their idols are super talented. (Quite long sorry but i feel like you open a discussion and I wanted to point a few things).

[@amber_kae]

No problem about the long comment, lol. A huge reason I made this video was because I thought Lightsum would be an interesting group to talk about for the exact reasons you named. I agree with your thoughts that Cube has never seemed to know what their own identity is, which is why they keep inadvertently fumbling. It always felt like they'd just throw a new group out into the public and hope for the best, and have refused to learn from this lesson. What's most frustrating about them is how great they are at finding talented idols, but how bad they are at utilizing them. They have always had an excellent roster of amazing trainees, but also have an awful marketing team. They definitely need to do some better market research because they've wasted precious time in Lightsum's rookie career that should've been time spent building and solidify their fandom. I personally think that Lightsum's concept was/is fine. In fact, I was hoping they'd go down the route where Weeekly left off before they changed concepts (bright, youthful and upbeat). Cube just hasn't yet fully nailed down a consistent enough identity for Lightsum as a group. If I could call Cube anything, it's incompetent. I don't for a second believe that they're intentionally trying to sabotage their own groups/interests, but they clearly have not learned from their own past failures, and it's frustrating to watch.

[@taeechaee]

@@amber_kaeY’all are stating facts in these comments😭as a sumit, I feel the exact same honestly :/ it’s such a shame that cube doesn’t even know what to do with idols as talented as them🤷‍♀️ so stupid honestly

[@LokiWasNotHere]

You stated a fact!

[@SassiFrassGirl08]

why weren't g idle supposed to debut? what happened?

[@pey9898]

this

[@kairos-049]

Lightsum’s debut concept was really smart, credit where credit is due. It was a refreshing pop of sweetness in a generation that is quickly becoming saturated with girl crush and similar concept. Wholesome and sweet is both very k-pop and also pretty unique among 4th gen girl group concepts. I do agree that what Lightsum lacks the most right now is luck.

[@amber_kae]

Exactly! I always felt like they had the right idea, but hadn’t fully nailed down the execution at the time.

[@gwenmloveskpopandmore]

Actually I have to disagree since we’ve had Some fresh stuff from Fifty Fifty, STAYC, New Jeans, and TripleS and lesser known groups like Irris, IChillin, etc

[@uwuinternallyscreaming7644]

@Gwen M/문민지 loves Kpop, CEC, & More 4 _ _ Oe Be Well yeah, you're somewhat right about the part of a bunch of girl groups having more fresh and distinct sounds and concepts. The thing is that, your statement doesnt really sustains itself because majority of the groups that you mentioned are like, REALLY recently debuted (The only one debuted being STAYC at the time) and we didn't even dreamed of the others existing. At the time that lightsum debuted there were a ton of groups doing girl crush concepts or repetition of what was working at the time (mostly badass or mature concepts), we can even see that happening again but with NewJeans these days.

[@gwenmloveskpopandmore]

@@uwuinternallyscreaming7644 yeah ur absolutely right I kinda forgot to mention 2021 whoops 😅

[@uwuinternallyscreaming7644]

@@gwenmloveskpopandmore no problem ^^, it's easy to associate groups with others so yeah it happens. but if i had to mention a group that was doing something unique apart from STAYC it would definitely be Purple Kiss with their more horror concept!

[@luciazuniga6756]

Both Soyeon and Chowon made it to the final in their respective produce series. But I have to agree that Chowon did better.

[@amber_kae]

Thanks for the correction and for dropping by to watch! 😅

[@twoohoot]

The problem with Lightsum in CUBE... Is that since they thought Idle would crash and burn with soojin scandal. They pushed Lightsum to be their new girl group. When Idle came back with tomboy.. they kinda put Lightsum in the back burner... They use to the same with Hyuna. If some group had a scandal or didn't have the result they expected... Hyuna would comeback with the skanki est of comebacks ever to pull focus from their other groups. (Hyuna fan here) Cube can only handle ONE BIG group/solo at time it seems... And if their other groups manage to succeed and breakout then they will start to give them some attention.

[@amber_kae]

To me, it seems that Cube doesn’t know how to build hype and momentum for their groups, and only seem to ride the wave of success if it occurs naturally. That’s been their pattern for pretty much all of their groups so far.

[@SleepyOnline1]

I also think the debut was messy because most people thought they were trying to cover up the soojin thing by having lightsum debut.. So fans weren’t really open to supporting them :(

[@herj.6982]

this is one of the most sober commentary on the topic. It's a hard truth, but LUCK plays soooo so so much role on the group's success. Talents are everywhere, opportunity and timing are not

[@HakuMata_Snacks]

I have been a fan of kpop ever since 2nd gen, so I am pretty familiar with Cube Ent groups (Beast, 4Minutes, BTOB, CLC, gidle). There is this saying that Cube recruited the best trainees, the most talented trainees, yet always seemed to eff up with the management of their groups. They don’t have the best track record with their idols, from legal dispute with Beast, allegedly tricking Hyuna to resign without telling her the other 4 minutes members didn’t sign, how they dealt with Hyuna and Dawn, how they dealt with Soojin case. I do agree with the point you put out here that cube indeed tried harder with Lightsum debut, my heart still ache when I remember how idle first album jacket and Shuhua posed near the garbage bin. If I have to answer why gidle becomes so iconic today, people would say Jeon Soyeon. I would wholeheartedly agree, she is genius songwriter. But I would also add, I also don’t know how exactly Tomboy blew up. Tomboy may not even be Soyeon’s best work, but it’s what Koreans like at the time. Saying that there is luck factor behind tomboy sure, but there should be still something cube can learn from their experience to manage their groups better in the future, right Cube? P.S.: Soyeon in produce 101, I remember her being talented in rapping (and Yeap about people telling her she is not fulfilling beauty standard), but I think there were too many other contestants. We seriously don’t know that she is A GENIUS until Unpretty Rapstar/her debut.

[@amber_kae]

Yeah, Cube seems to always fumble the bag with talent. They kinda remind me of how poorly MLD handled Momoland’s sudden rise in popularity. Just like with Cube, once they finally got their hands on something good, they just didn’t know how to handle it and everyone suffered for it.

[@ladyloona2014]

I didn’t care for the debut too much but I was rooting for Nayoung and Chowon so hard since PD48. Especially knowing Chowon was done dirty by producers for their paid line up. I have been feeling like most groups are getting stale so this encouraged me to catch up on Lightsum releases and content 💕

[@amber_kae]

I’m still rooting for Nayoung (she’s my bias-wrecker in Lightsum) and especially Chowon. Girl was robbed of a very important stepping stone in her career and was never properly compensated for it. The least MNET could’ve done was apologize to her.

[@Syrin23]

I have loved Lightsum since their debut, and saw them in LA at KCON. They were AMAZING. Their songs are catchy and under appreciated. CUBE needs to try to make them into the next Twice. That is where their strength is.

[@taeechaee]

Imagine if twice and lightsum collab😭best day ever

[@hestergnu6627]

This video was recommended, so I decided to check it out. Even though I couldn’t name a single Lightsum song, I listened to the entire vid because I appreciated your thoughtful analysis about Cube without delving into histrionics. I agree that K-pop companies are imperfect and often don’t do a proper job. But you are absolutely correct that luck, timing, and the unknown nature of music virality play a significant part in a group’s success, especially for those that aren’t in a Big 3 company whose rookie groups automatically garner high-profile attention and fan support. Also, the restaurant analogies were on point! You got a follow from me. Looking forward to your future vids

[@amber_kae]

Thanks so much for watching! ☺️I do tend to try not to be overly dramatic when it comes to most topics in K-pop. Some people tend to forget that it’s literally just music and there are very few things that any of us should truly be stressing over. I get it though. People get passionate about their favorite groups kinda like how sports fans get with their favorite teams.

[@hestergnu6627]

@@amber_kae “It’s literally just music” - yup. I also understand why people get caught up in emotions with regards to a specific group, but some fans immediately excoriate anybody who dislikes a song or expresses a viewpoint that they disagree with instead of engaging in respectful discourse. It becomes quite tribal. And in the end, people forget that it’s ok to disagree. Anyhoo, just really enjoyed the tone of your video and how you backed up your viewpoints. Cheers!

[@43v3rglow]

I really loved Lightsum's concept and I loved all their songs. That being said I'm glad I didn't get attached. I knew what their fate was as soon as I saw their label.

[@taeechaee]

People probably don’t Stan them because of cube. They don’t wanna get heartbroken again 😂

[@leo-es6cu]

I love lightsum so much and it hurts my heart knowing cube would probably hinder in their growth :'((

[@alexe.garciacruz4389]

Lightsum is literally so talented

[@amber_kae]

Too talented to be as overlooked as they are, imo.

[@jinsolisbae]

Lightsum is finally having a comeback. Woohoo 🎉👏🏽🔥

[@hyejinmoon4882]

I think Cube's problem is that they're a huge company, but they've NEVER been good at promoting multiple groups at once. Ever. One group always gets the majority focus. CLC suffered at debut because of 4minute and then suffered later when G-idle started becoming more popular, only getting an experimental and great song (that got them an award). Gidle released Hann not too far behind NO, and were about to release Senorita next month. I think Senorita blowing up for Gidle and showing a gradual and steady climb to success is what cemented CLC's death. They released they could profit off of Soyeon's genius, and a lot more of G-Idle's members fit the "visual bill" that Korea imposes. I mean even now Shuhua is still regarded as one of the most beautiful 4th gen girl group members.

[@amber_kae]

Yeah, Cube groups (that are self-produced) have always been so much better at branding themselves rather than waiting for the company to figure it out for them.

[@JuliSolGarcia]

​@@amber_kaei agree but also cube didnt let clc release the music they wrote themselves, so, not every group had the same freedom

[@previaxxi_desu]

I've been looking to Juhyeon's debut since the strong impression she left during The Unit. That's why I learned the existence of Lightsum. They should hire veteran songwriters and composers to create songs that fit the character and vocals of Lightsum.

[@amber_kae]

Agreed! All they really need is that one perfect song to break them out. 😌

[@escritora84]

Thank you for such a great video! Cube is notorious for debuting a new group at the height of a senior group's career, and then wondering why they don't catch on as well. It's a shame because Cube arguably has some of the most talented idols in the industry. But I can't shake the feeling Lightsum was an "emergency"/distraction group Cube pushed out to take away some of the heat from the Soojin bullying scandal, since we saw a huge fallout of other bullying accusations of other idols/groups at the same time - Soojin's scandal unfortunately felt like a catalyst to all this. And I agree - "Vanilla" was cute, but it feels too safe and honestly sounded like a song from 2015-2016. it needed something a little catchier to make it stand out.

[@amber_kae]

Excellent points! I’m sure Lightsum was always planned to debut but maybe Cube wasn’t planning to debut them when they did. They probably saw the hit (G) I-DLE was getting due to the Soojin scandal and tried to use Lightsum as a contingency group to pick up in (G) I-DLE’s place in case they weren’t able to recover. I hope the group gets back on their feet following the upcoming comeback plans that they announced a couple months ago.

[@mirage_summon9152]

KZbin recommended me this video and I am super glad they did! Love the level of detail you put into this. Looking forward to the next part and hoping for news on Lightsum's next comeback. 🥰 And while Vanilla is not on my top 25 most played songs, it was definitely on heavy rotation in June 2021 on my rides to and from work.

[@amber_kae]

Thanks for watching! ☺️💕 I really appreciate it the good vibes and energy.

[@agm631]

I'm going to be honest. I was REALLY eager to stan Lightsum. I felt as though Chowon got robbed and Nayoung was one of my favorite personalities on PD. I watched The Unit too. I was READY to love them. I still go back hoping something will SNAG me. But ultimately, they just keep falling flat. The best way I can describe them is like I'm having sirloin steak from a diner...but I just had a filet mignon at a steakhouse the night before. They feel like talented trainees in their performances. I can tell how hard they're trying...and that's the problem. So many 4th gen girl groups came out confident and feeling effortless. Objectively going by the k-beauty standards, none of them are comparable to visual titans like Karina, Winter, Miyeon, Wonyoung, Sullyoon, Yuna or the New Jeans girls. None of their vocal colors are especially DIFFERENT from other groups. 4th gen had an explosion of unique voices and they don't stand out. Chowon's voice is beautiful...but it lacks the technical prowess and overall range of say Lily or Ningning. Rapping, they had to come out with a STRONG contender when within their own agency they've had girls like Soyeon, Yeeun and even Hyuna. But Sangah feels like their little sister, struggling to imitate but never getting close. I also feel like the girls feel a little disjointed. As though maybe some belong in one group and the others belong in another. Cube fucked them over, for sure. Their debut felt like damage control. But like you said, Vanilla was a good choice as far as a song. Safe and with a concept that set them apart from the influx of girlcrush debuts and filled an empty slot in the market. The problem is that it was too much like a 3rd gen debut...without the novelty. All of their members feel like they are an attempt to replicate something from the 3rd gen, but they fall short of their predecessors. As a result, you're left wanting more. I think that idle had another one-up on them in the form of self-production. Idle had the capacity to take control of their own destiny because they have Soyeon. Lightsum doesn't have any such member. Soyeon is a charisma powerhouse, Soojin was the second coming of Hyuna. Yuqi and Minnie have unique voices. Miyeon had an existing YG fanbase. I personally find her visual generic, but I know that she fits the kbeauty standard very well and that her visuals are extremely popular. Shuhua is the weakest member, but she's brash and funny and cute and kind of gets to bounce off the other members. She's also kind of coming into her own post-Soojin. Overall, LS just feel LACKING compared to both 3rd gen and 4th gen. I hate Cube with a passion and their timing with debuting Lightsum was bad...but for once, I don't think they're necessarily at fault. I just think the UNIQUE IT FACTOR wasn't there. The girls are individually talented, but none stand out compared to their peers and a group needs at least one major standout in ANY of the categories to have a shot. I support them EMOTIONALLY but I just can't get behind how FLAT they feel overall. And that makes me sad. They deserved so much better.

[@moonbeemy]

hii i just wanna say i think ur storytelling skills are great! i love the layout of your video and all ur verbal segues/transitions

[@amber_kae]

Thank you for the complimentary feedback! 🥹 I really appreciate it and I’m glad you enjoyed the watch.

[@hsyeonx4245]

This video was so good! I think I found a new fav commentator on kpop!!! Lightsum got my attention during Alive era the song was fun and so was the concept! I do hope the girls gain more popularity with this next comeback, I really do enjoy all their songs! Also I totally get what you mean when you say you don’t want to stand groups from smaller companies because there’s a higher chance that they will disband within a couple of years. It really does suck when one of your fav groups disbands out of nowhere but I really do hope these girls stay long! They have so much potential!

[@amber_kae]

Thanks so much for watching! 🥹 And yes, after what happened to GWSN, I’ve been super cautious about what smaller groups I latch on to.

[@xixningowonxix]

21:52 That last sentence, Cool by NMIXX ending and the "Part 2 coming soon…", you really know how to make videos.

[@amber_kae]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@byounggonie]

this was a great, insightful vid! i would say though that during 2nd gen, cube was a lot higher on the totem pole and was nearing the big 3 status-artists like beast, 4minute, g.na, troublemaker- were running kpop during that time alongside their big 3 peers. not really a misinformation but i think the perspective is different years later if you didn't see the success they had firsthand!

[@avivshvitzky2459]

This video has so much work put into it, that I find it hard to believe that a channel with 300 subs made it. Its like, I could imagine this being stolen from a huge channel and being reuploaded, if I didn't know any better. Your mature way of analyzing kpop is also surprising and refreshing

[@amber_kae]

Thanks for dropping by and they words of encouragement! 🥹 It’s much appreciated.

[@naomi.cannibal]

Love love love your voice, your thoughts, and your editing!! Subbed immediately 💕

[@amber_kae]

Aw, thank you so much!! For watching and subscribing! 😊

[@ilyuser]

as a cheshire (clc fan), i have so much hatred for cube. it’s astounding that the agency is able to recruit and train some of the best idols in the industry yet they have no idea how to manage them or market them. especially looking at clc’s career where the girls knew what concept they wanted to do but they kept being dismissed by cube. i hope they figure it out with lightsum their songs are great and the girls seem lovely

[@ignaciojoelnexlsoncanas29]

They should release more music so people don't forget about lightsum. But, it seems the company don't care. They debuted in 2021, by now they should have like 3 mini albums or even a full album

[@amber_kae]

Agreed! Most of the other GG that debuted in 2021 have already released like four or five mini albums by now. Lightsum seems to be falling behind their peers. Hopefully, they can get back on track this year. I doubt 2023 will end without them releasing at least one comeback.

[@taeechaee]

Fr. Imo vanilla should’ve been their pre debut track, vivace their debut and alive their comeback after like 6 months maybe? And then another cb like 6 months later. It’s been like 10 months still nothing. Clearly cube doesn’t have an idea on how to manage these talented girls :(

[@ignaciojoelnexlsoncanas29]

They should release something in late may or early june and then another comeback in late november or early december. I'd love if they stick to some electro/pop, house/dance kind of sound. Something easy to listen where they can show their voices and dancing skills.

[@taeechaee]

@@ignaciojoelnexlsoncanas29 truee!!

[@coolandtrending]

@@amber_kae - I think they may release a comeback as one song, maybe two. Cube hasn't really focused on hiring good writers and composers over the past several years. And without that, there is just no material to work with, no matter how good your group is (unless you have the talent to write and produce your own material). This is the case for a lot of smaller agencies too, without good music being composed and given to a group, there is nothing the group can do except for covers and the small amount of past material they may have to work with. Agencies have no business debuting a group if they can't find them consistent new material to keep them going.

[@Sanas_Shy_Language]

Ok, I have been following Lightsum since before there debut. Technically, it was since The Unit that introduced me back in 2017 to Juhyeon. I had be anticipating her debut for years, and Chowon was my top choice for IZ*ONE. So, I have the perspective of someone who had already known 4 of the members prior to their debut. My biases however wound up being Huihyeon and Jian who immediately captured my heart. I was consistently let down with how Huihyeon specifically was treated throughout their career. She was given no lines, and her screentime in MV’s was nonexistent. When it was announced that Huihyeon was “leaving” I wasn’t surprised, but Jian shocked me. Jian seemed like an important member of the group to Cube and she always got decent lines. I really don’t think they left, they were the two least popular members. It felt like a removal in all honesty. The two least popular members left? It felt more like they wanted a smaller group, which is entirely reasonable, but it just felt kinda weird how they gave a half explanation for it. But ya know, I wasn’t there so I can’t comment on what actually happened. And just as an FYI, Soyeon actually made it all the way to the final on Produce 101! She even debuted as a soloist before (G)-IDLE. Eunbin on the other hand, for eliminated during the concept battle, so right before the finals, because Cube decided to announce she would be joining CLC in the middle of the competition which then led to a huge drop in her votes because people thought that other people deserved it since she was confirmed to be debuting regardless. (Oh and the intro literally made me screammmm)

[@martinksk88]

The thing with Lightsum is the the bubblegum concept it wasn't attractive (and still isn't) when they debuted, hence why they change to a more mature concept in their comeback... most groups that change concept abruptly never end up well. And the difference with G-idle is that Soyeon, even tho she was not popular in PD48 (cuz those shows are more about the visual) she is a gem that knows about what fans want. g-idle has more color than lightsum cuz the members are also little gems, like Yuqui (deep ass voice and lot of carisma), Minnie (special tone of voice to sing), Soojin (one of the best visuals in kpop and she was very sexy, not just a visual), Miyeon (another great vocalist), Shuhua (great carisma, honest nad nice visuals) and Soyeon (a member that every girl group wish them to have). Lightsum was good but average imo.

[@blinkbabe3684]

THE ALIVE ALBUM WAS TEW GOOD! I WANT MY SISTERS TO SUCCEED!

[@amber_kae]

A very overlooked album of bops! 😭. Had so many of my favorite b-sides from 2022.

[@joyjoyjoy6612]

they just really need more good songs and i knew it in my heart they will be succesfull one day. and i will continue to support them no matter what

[@Multibiatcheyy]

I’ve casually been following Juhyeon since the Unit and her dance style there is not seen at all in her group songs or the early covers which is what made her stand out. Otherwise Juhyeon and Sanah have such girl crush vibes and the other girls have such elegant or cute vibes with their vocals the rap is decent but their debut song couldn’t grasp any one of their specialty. Vanilla is a safe song so it could only go so wild but it seemed like they wanted to show everything but it all ended up being mid nothing shined vocal or dance wise it was just okay while I saw better from their covers. I just felt like no one was shinning in their first two songs the vocals didn’t go off or the dance so I’m just left wanting more.

[@MayaLove777]

Also not to mention Kiwi Pop and The Wave Music what happened to GWSN is criminal I feel so bad for the girls what happened to them was horrible and so unfair 😢

[@amber_kae]

So true! GWSN had one of the most unique and interesting discographies in K-POP. Somehow their company just fumbled the bags with their careers. They aren’t officially disbanded but it sucks to see what’s become of them.

[@tzuyu9283]

Girl your voice😍 It sounds like Megan Thee Stallion was giving me a lecture on Lightsum

[@amber_kae]

😂 🤣Not Megan! Thanks for that laugh!

[@moonbyulhub6082]

I remember when they debuted, people saying it was only bc cube was in hot water for the soojin situation and needed a distraction, I wonder if people still think that. also great video and THAT CLIFFHANGER OMG had me at all intrigued until that part 😭😭 definitely subscribing!

[@amber_kae]

I think that’s partly why they debuted them sooner than they were supposed to. Cube was likely looking to find some way to make up for (G) I-DLE’s hiatus by debuting a new income stream but they were in such a hurry that they didn’t have enough time to build lightsum’s brand and it turned into a mess. Luckily they seem to have been trying to steer them in a better direction with Alive. Hopefully, they continue going in that direction. Anyway, thanks for watching! 😊 It’s much appreciated.

[@MrTorterra10]

13:50 um actually soyeon made it to the finale of pd 101, she was quite popular pre debut which helped gidle when they finally debuted

[@amber_kae]

Yes, she was popular, but not as popular as Chowon was on PD 48. Chowon would have gotten into IZ*ONE if the scandal hadn’t happened. I personally didn’t even know about Soyeon until she became far more known on Unpretty Rap Star.

[@honeybeeami2654]

Not being an overnight success was very common in many now beloved 3rd Gen groups and its insane to see that now you have to be big right out of the gate to be worth anything.

[@Haegemon]

Honestly, even the succesful groups are in danger in this industry. Sometimes because members pursue other career paths, but the major factor is the industry struggles to provide the revenue, creative freedom and stability that could lead to make a living in the music for groups, like it happens for soloists.

[@amber_kae]

Yea, with how many stories we’ve heard recently about how some companies have abused and refused to pay their idols, it’s kind of disheartening to read a lot of industry news. If groups as big as Loona are being straight up mistreated, it makes you wonder about the horrors happening to much smaller groups who don’t have a big of a platform to publicly speak out against their companies. 😔

[@bagelbagelbagelbagelbagelbagel]

lightsum is surely an interesting case for me. they debuted under a mid-size company, yet their popularity and success so far isn't according to mid-size company standards, in fact even worse than groups from smaller companies. i don't really follow them but i try to keep them on my radar as i'm very curious on how cube would handle their current dilemma, and if they could manage to put lightsum in a better place. i do agree that it's best for lightsum to stay in the light and bright side concept-wise, all they need is to establish their own identity that would set them apart from everyone else. i feel like it's the biggest puzzle piece they're missing. it's sad that they ended up sacrificing 2 members for rebranding, but i wanna see how cube restructures the group and if it would change things for them. also side note, the way you put together ts, spire, and bbc in one frame cracked me up (lmaoo), it's like the gathering of the three horsemen of the worst companies in kpop 🤣🤣🤣

[@amber_kae]

Okay you had me cackling at the “three horseman” comment. 😂 And Yeah, Lightsum lack of success is an interesting mystery to me too. Cube still has so much to work with if their willing to exert some patience and genuine effort.

[@jetstream2467]

Light sum came out at the wrong time! Too much had gone on and Lightsum, got caught in the middle!

[@naurrr]

great video on this. I don't know much about Lightsum so I appreciate the nuanced takes you bring to the usual "CUBE is evil" discourse.

[@amber_kae]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@unscrewedhorses]

I think at the end of the day, lightsum’s lack of popularity comes down to the music. As a casual listener, both Vanilla & Vivace failed to make any impact on me at all, so I never pursued the group further. Their title tracks appeal to a specific group of kpop fans & that’s about it. By contrast, G Idle is releasing music that even people outside the kpop bubble are vibing with. I think simply speaking, Cube fumbled the music choice, and consequently Lightsum’s name fell into the midst of the other many bubblegum kpop groups, so now the task is trying to dig them back out.

[@LethaboMatseke]

16:38 thank you for saying this 🙏🏾🙏🏾 thank you so much 🙏🏾🙏🏾 NMIXX is only surviving because it's a JYPE group.

[@SBBunny93]

13:03 I’m so weak! 🤣😂 that’s such a good analogy lol! I’m such a fan! We need more mature vocals that are neutral in this KPOP YT realm. To many little kids and robotic voices, I love hearing educated thoughts with 0 bias.

[@amber_kae]

Thanks for watching! 😁

[@blujungi]

Just at the beginning of the video but I LOOOOVE your voice, tone and the bgm fits you so well

[@amber_kae]

Thank you so much! 😊

[@blinkonce3934]

your editing is immaculate and your presentaton/delivery kept me watching through the entire video even though I am unfamiliar with Lightsum. keep up with the great content!

[@amber_kae]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@martynaarmycaratengene7216]

Love your video! it’s still very interesting to me even as a person who doesn’t stan lightsum. Subscribing❤❤❤ Edit: not gonna lie you talking about how it feels stanning lightsum which are a smaller group like constantly being scared that they can disband is how I feel as a ki-ling (Weki Meki stan)

[@amber_kae]

Thanks so much for watching! It’s hard out here for us nugu stans. 😔

[@strawberrysundaygirl_]

I really wish that juhyeon would've debuted as a soloist. When I first saw her in the unit I really thought that she would shine as a soloist more.

[@amber_kae]

Yeah, she definitely has the talent and charisma to pull off a solo career.

[@RookieMistakes]

I feel like if lightsum is able to find that one song that the masses like it can really bring a lot more attention to the group. Like how Momoland was able to do with boom boom. Which they have plenty of time to do sense they are still rookies, so we shouldn't give up on hope yet.

[@El_Carlangas]

Great analysis (and edition). I'll be waiting for part two. EDIT: lol... there's already a part two. I'm gonna watch it rn!

[@nayeonchantix]

wow this is a great video. You're very logical and easy to follow while still presenting a fresh perspective!

[@amber_kae]

Thank you! ☺️Glad you enjoyed. I hoped to be as fair and neutral as possible.

[@kingsmas8340]

Same thng with a group like CRAXY, They really do have talent, I was watching Undercover MV i loved the facial expressions, the vocals everything matches for me. Sadly i think they might disband or rebrand

[@DavidMiller-cu2xq]

I feel like cube should just honestly refocus their trainee system to teach them how to be self-sufficient, and I feel their groups would be more successful at having and growing their niche audience

[@wesimpforganji6647]

Another thing that happened was yeah the timing of their debut. They came out at a time where cube was being heavily criticized for clc. A LOT a MAJORITY of CLC fans (sadly, myself included) simply refused to support or even listen to light sums music because we were 1. sour about clc 2. scared it would just be another clc 3. really was just done with the company all together and anything that seemed to be tied to heavily too cube, was deemed bad. (hence why even tho gidle is in cube, when you think of gidle, you dont think of cube, cube is simply an afterthought especially with how much work the girls of idle themselves put into the group) So light sums debut could've been much and WAY bigger if they debuted at a different time. Or on the flip side if clc was getting "treated better" (whatever that means at this point) lights would've gotten a much bigger fanbase most likely. But I feel bad for the girls themselves. I tried my best to get over my clc sourness and listen to them bc it's not their fault. But their music didnt appeal to me, and I just had this sitting annoying feeling that even if I was seemingly "supporting" the girls. Was I really? were they even getting paid (89% sure, no they weren't/ still aren't) or was i just supporting cube, a company that idc where they came from, it's their job to do their job and to do it well because they are messing with people's lives and money. but idk

[@Cthelight3]

I’m a sumit since pre debut I wasn’t planning on stanning any groups after Izone my old Ults disbanded when I looked more into lightsum I fell in love with them they changed so much of me they make me so happy even collecting I dropped everything just for them when huiyeon and Jian left I cried a good four hours I really hope they have a comeback soon I’m hoping everyday 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️💕💕

[@amber_kae]

Fingers crossed for that Lightsum comeback announcement after BTOB’s spring comeback. 🤞

[@tootsipop]

i loved your video, and agree with everything and everyones comments, im a cube stan (i support not just singers but actors and comedians too..what can i say, theres something on common on cube artist that i like) and of course im aware of all the wrongs it does, but also think people blame cube for stuff that doesn´t even have to do with cube. Othe thing that i keep thinking about is that Hanbin and Matthew from Boys Planet ex cube trainees, people got mad at cube for not debuting them...but to be honest even if they debuted...people would not pay attention to the group just because is cube, i saw that too with Lightsum, people didn´t want to even listen to them because "they are from cube" so i will suck and cube will fuck them up in some way and that makes me think is a vicous cicle...cube debut with budget and promo, like any other company, keep invsesting with no intentions of fuck them up...then they don´t receive the attention because "why bother they are from cube and fail anyways" so cube enters to the "fucking up" stage, i see comments here and there or kpop react channels that seem to wait for cube to fail one more time just to say i told you so. I think is a little unfair that people put their hate on cube before the groups. I feel i need to repeat that i understand the hate, i get angry too at their desicions but i just wanted to share that thought that i´ve been noticing for years now.

[@Pamelalrene]

Vanilla is my favorite debut in 4th gen. Popcorn is also just as fun and quirky. I really really wish they stuck with that concept. Vivace was fine and Alive is ok. I know people love Alive, but it's not for me. I will also say, their cover of Tomboy is the only way I will listen to that song (Again, just not my taste). So despite their group name, I could see them doing that kind of concept, especially now that they've kicked out the minors.

[@tmsterr646]

Eunbin was around 35 in p101 but soyeon was in the finals

[@shoyuramenoff]

Honestly, I love your videos and your voice. I can imagine you're on hiatus because a lot is going on, but I hope you're getting some sort of rest.

[@kittysflowerld7011]

I honestly believe Cube is to blame no matter what. Yes, luck plays a huge role in the popularity of groups but looking at how rushed Lightsums debut was and how they treated their other artists it‘s most definitely Cubes management that’s responsible. I always had the feeling they wanted to draw attention away from Soojins scandal and debuted Lightsum early. Vanilla always gave off pre-debut song vibes, like it was intended to be a pre release. Instead we got an, in my opinion, overpriced single album (which I was hesitant to buy because of it‘s price but bought it anyway). I really like Vanilla as a song, it‘s still on my summer playlist, but the thing that put me really off in the beginning is that I felt I was watching two joined girl groups. On one hand you have the fierce girl crush members like Chaewon, Sangha and Juhyeon and on the other side there were the cute and little ones like Huiyeon, Jian, Nayoung, Hina and Yujeong. The group didn‘t feel as a whole which later made more sense to me as a friend told me that the girls themselves didn‘t spend a lot of time together prior to their debut because they didn‘t live together. I think this got better throughout their three releases so far but let me tell you, I was not surprised when I heard about Huiyeon and Jian (I was still sad because Huiyeon was one of my fave members). It also seems like these two were the least favorite members judging by what I saw in the photocard trading community in 2021/2022. Nonetheless I can‘t seem to get rid of the feeling that Cube doesn‘t really care about their groups or their fans in regards to how they treated past events (Yanans absence from Pentagon 2019, Elkies payment and the whole CLC disbandment situation, Soojins scandal and so on…). They are a business and therefor somewhat reliant on the money the fans are spending on their idols, yet they are one of the worst entertainments when it comes to communication with their fans and transparency. The only reason Pentagon were able to go this far and finally get their win with their 10th mini album is because they have two powerhouse producers/composers as members and one who makes all the choreographies. And, correct me, if I am wrong, but didn‘t Soyeon basically compose her groups whole discography? What I am saying is, that these two groups have strong pushing forces within their groups to be able to continue on. (Not saying that CLC didn’t fight, I am pretty sure they fought hard to be able to perform.)I always hoped that Juhyeon might be able to take a similar position and I am still hoping that she and other members will take things into their hands. But it‘s a tough situation since they lost a lot of momentum. The girls deserve to shine just like their name indicates.

[@kennyzk1567]

21:37 "(G)-Idle had luck and great timing".... And Most importantly, Soyeon.

[@amber_kae]

Yeah, Soyeon’s ambition and creativity has been an interesting thing to witness over the years. I hope Lightsum’s leader somehow channels her in the future.

[@LeachingJack]

Soyeon is the strategist. The 5 other members are generals who believe in the plan wholeheartedly and carry out the missions with perfection.

[@amber_kae]

@@LeachingJack Wow, that’s a very accurate way to describe them. They seem to be a very cohesive group as a unit with every member understanding their role and how to fulfill it.

[@alexandrahuang]

very proud of dreamcatcher and happyface/dreamcatcher ent for not giving up

[@amber_kae]

Just goes to show how driven they were as a group and how much confidence their company had in them. Glad to see them finally getting those much deserved accolades. 😌

[@day7645]

I still regularly listen to Vanilla up to this day.

[@boylovedahyun]

First off, great video, earned a new subscriber ❤!!! And as someone who’s followed Lightsum since pre-debut (CHOWON FOR LIFEEEEEE) I think part of the problem is that Lightsum don’t fit in. It’s becoming more and more clear as the years of fourth Gen progress that the 4th Gen GP do not like cute concepts. For example, Loona. Once they dropped the cute concept in 2020, Loonas success was INSANE. When Dreamcatchter switched from cute to dark, they blew up. It sucks to say this, but Lightsum has shown me that we are in the death of the cute concept sadly :(. So what’s probably happening is that Cube is gonna go with a more mature concept (hence kicking out the youngest members) and we’ll see where the girls can go from here.

[@amber_kae]

Thanks for watching and subscribing! And yes, I partly agree with you. I’m not looking forward to seeing cute concept go but I feel like Cube might be taking them there. Still, I do hope they manage to hold to at least some of their bright poppy image. Lightsum is one of the very few groups still doing a more upbeat concept. I love me some girl crush, but I’ll forever be open to the happier, brighter concepts.

[@mylovechoerry2233]

Loona is a bad example, they never had a cute concept to begin with, they had a ever changing concept and they popularity never exploded if was a steady growf that was driven by the expensive of the hallyu wave, loona fandom themselves and Jaden jeong predebut and early work with loona.

[@mylovechoerry2233]

Doesn't make sense when stayc asap is a smatch it, the problem is that vanilla is not a good pop song.

[@boylovedahyun]

@@mylovechoerry2233 most of loonas solos/there first two comebacks were on the brighter/non girl crush side, when they released so what, they got there first win, exploded on the charts, and were popular in Korea and internationally

[@boylovedahyun]

@@mylovechoerry2233 asap came out in 2021, after a successful debut, that caused hype

[@briannabirckett]

I just stumbled upon this video and am absolutely obsessed with you. I love Lightsum, but Alive is my shit. I completely agree with where you are coming from. I wish nothing but the best for them because they are a great group

[@amber_kae]

Yes! Alive was/is the bop they deserved at debut. I really hope Cube steers them more in that direction. I need more of that in my life, lol. Thank you so much for watching!

[@briannabirckett]

@@amber_kae song like Alive and i, are songs they need to keep releasing.

[@shumokh1993]

It's impossible not to stan them after this video I wanna stan them now😭

[@amber_kae]

😊😁Well, there’s still time if you’re interested.

[@crstph]

i had no idea lightsum was such a new group under cube-i thought they were a nugu girl group when i see them on idol apps😭 if that tells you anything about their promotion and image marketing lol

[@amber_kae]

Yeah, if they could bump up their branding department Lightsum could be reaching greater heights.

[@autumneagle]

11:03 respect to the Dreamcatcher reference btw.

[@luciadeleon134]

Same, the reference will live in my mind rent free for the rest of the eternity

[@alexe.garciacruz4389]

You deserve more subs your content is high quality and isn’t aggressive or offensive. Am so subscribing

[@alexe.garciacruz4389]

.

[@amber_kae]

Thank you so much! 🥹 I aim to always steer more so toward positivity when it comes to K-pop. There’s already so much negativity, I was hoping to take a brighter approach. Thanks again for watching!

[@zhisu2665]

Cube who fucked up with 4minute, HyunA, CLC and [if they didn't have Soyeon basically running the group they would've been disbanded ages ago] g-idle... I have no faith that they can manage girl groups.

[@babette5918]

Great video! I can't disagree with anything you said. You point out that the problem is NOT a lack of talent and you are right. Luck is important but not something that can be relied on. A lot of people say that the difference for (G)I-dle is Soyeon, and I agree, but that difference isn't just a difference in talent. Soyeon made her own luck. CUBE likes to play things safe. They did with Idle and they do with lightsum. Soyeon consistently stepped up and pushed CUBE toward riskier concepts and themes... even to the point where she told them that she would be personally responsible for poor results. After the Soojin debacle, Soyeon doubled down and took even more risks. Used the "F" word in Tomboy. Picked fights with major award shows. Called out all of Korean society for misogyny (Nxde). Point being... Someone in lightsum needs to lead and take some risk. As you said yourself, CUBE isn't in tune with trends and styles... teen girls definitely are. Soyeon has proven to CUBE that letting members be themselves and create their own image can work. Lightsum just needs that one member with a clear vision to step up and take control. The group will either thrive or fail because of it. Either result has to be better than just existing safely in limbo. Yes? No?

[@amber_kae]

Agreed! Soyeon’s ambition is legendary at this point. Girlie took control of her own career and refused to let go. As for Lightsum, I do feel like their leader Juhyeon might be the one to take the reins. She’d been a trainee under Cube for so long before debut (even before Soyeon I believe). So she clearly has the drive to succeed and luckily, she’s shown some interest in songwriting/producing as well. Guess we’ll have to wait and see what the future brings.

[@Nameless_mixes]

I absolutely loved this! Can’t wait to check out the rest of your content! I hope that your channel sees a lot of success! ❤️

[@staycsprinkles3777]

Ive been cackling the entire time. I’ve never seen your channel before but you sound different 2:07. Honestly the reason why idle had an advantage isn’t just luck but because they debuted at a time when the landscape was empty, not as competitive as now. 4th gen had just started and the team took advantage of that with a a public friendly and fresh song that stood out. Cubes creative team is just…trash. They keep thinking they need to copy other groups instead of doing their own thing. That’s why idle does well. They center around a theme not a concept. Regular people don’t have concepts. We have personalities but we don’t make that the core facet of our lives and if we do, people hate us. Concepts are the same way. 14:08-Actually believe it or not Soyeon made it to the finale but Eunbin got booted in the middle. Cube intentionally sabotaged her so she could join CLC. They said “if she doesn’t make it she will join the group” while she was on the show which obviously didn’t go well with her Stans who felt like she had one foot out the door.

[@byounggonie]

also- lightsum is a unique case imo. every cube artist had some sort of clout with their debut (with the exception of ptg maybe but especiallyyy beast and 4minute). even clc charted with their debut in 2015. it just shows how the over-saturated market can alter the trajectory of these groups

[@cameronfrost3794]

I just discovered your channel and I already know I’m going to be a regular here. I already admire you’re content, your personality and opinions. Please keep going even though it looks like your kpop commentary channel looks like it’s only starting out 💛💛💛 I can’t wait for more content from you!! 💗💗💗

[@amber_kae]

Thanks so much for encouraging words! 🥹 I truly appreciate it. I was super nervous about the channel starting out. I’m happy to know someone got some enjoyment out of my random thoughts, lol.

[@keyburner5092]

I just started watching and that was the funniest intro to a kpop vid ive seen in a hot minute

[@amber_kae]

Thanks! Glad I got at least one chuckle. 😁

[@dgchvz]

Alive was such a good ALBUM, like the title track and b-side are QUALITY but people paid no attention, it’s sad

[@lexifrazier6013]

Your voice is so smooth and nice to listen to I love it.

[@amber_kae]

Thank you! 😊

[@xperriewinklee]

i’m so upset they deserve so much better! i am really hoping for a comeback and not a disbandment Sangah is my bias!

[@amber_kae]

I don’t see a disbandment coming. They are still so young, but they do need to step up their promotions if they want to keep their fanbase. I don’t know why Cube has kept them out for so long. 😒

[@AlyDia2]

Just an fyi, Soyeon ranked 20th on pd101 s1. She was literally there the whole series. Eunbin was voted out before her too, ending at rank #35.

[@ilyuser]

yeah and eunbin was voted out bc ppl wanted her in clc already so they literally stopped supporting her

[@latashadolce]

Did KZbin finally recommend me a Black Kpop video essay channel?? 😮 (I don't know what the actual term is for channels like this. 😅) It's so nice to see fellow Black people in this fandom. 🥺🥺

[@amber_kae]

Well, I don’t know if there’s an actual term for it, but I’m very happy to add my input into the community. Thanks for dropping by! 🥹

[@NeverlandXidle]

So sad to see lightsum's music videos hardly reaching 25m views. Cube literally forgot them. If they would've promoted them correctly lightsum would also be some of the most talked group our there. I am not their fan or anything but they are a talented group.

[@soyeonistic]

Soyeon was 20 in produce 101 . Girlie got a lot of love. Tho not as much as chow on And eunbin was 35 so soyeon was definitely more popular

[@amber_kae]

You are correct. I was misinformed. I didn’t watch either season of produce 101/48 so I stupidly just assumed based on how much more buzz I heard about Soyeon from Unpretty Rapstar. That was my bad😅. I pinned a correction at the top of the comment thread to clear up my mistake.

[@kpline]

That opening was so real of you, subscribed! 😌👍

[@amber_kae]

Thanks! 🥹I’m glad you enjoyed.

[@Haneuloverr]

And now mashiro and yeseo are joining lightsum

[@countryboyiloveu420]

Wrong group lol it was limelight (now named madein)

[@Haneuloverr]

@@countryboyiloveu420 yeah, I found out 2 weeks ago, similar names ig 😭

[@dmitrykim3096]

Chowon had to be in izone if it wasnt rigged

[@starzies]

Completely off topic but your voice is so beautiful, it's like smooth jazz.

[@amber_kae]

Thank you, lol! 😆

[@MB-ic3ou]

Their debut song just wasn’t strong enough to capture people’s attention imo. I’m a Nevie so I was heavily anticipating their debut bc I wanted to support Idle’s sisters. However, nothing about Vanilla stood out to me and I was pretty disappointed tbh. You need to come out the gate swinging with a song that immediately draws people in. When you look at groups that have been successful straight off the bat, they all have very memorable debut songs and with Vanilla, it’s just sort of there.

[@aplant179]

haven’t even started the video properly but I love your voice

[@amber_kae]

Thank you! 😊

[@RCynic75]

Watched both parts and I want to first give you huge props to your commentary, analysis, and overall quality of these videos. I was surprised to see how you're a small channel, and thus believe that you'll be an awesome kpop content creator when you keep this up :) Meanwhile, I love the restaurant analogy. Regarding blockberry creative, the only better example that I could think of would be the fictional Los Pollos Hermanos 😂

[@amber_kae]

Los Pollos Hermanos😭🤣 McDonalds was honestly the first cheap restaurant I could think up, but you’re right if we’re being honest BBC is acting more and more like that microwaveable dinner these days. Everyday we get more trashy news coming out about them. 😒Thanks for watching.😊

[@vesavius]

KPop is not a talent based industry. It's a charisma and hype based one. Only rarely does a group blow up by actually being talented (Oh My Girl, etc)... At best, It's almost always down to big company privilege... All we can do is hope that the roster of bigger companies with built in fanbases continues to expand to carry on breaking up the once near monopoly of the 'Big 3'. That aside, I am generally not a company blamer... I don't actually blame Cube for CLC (If everyone that does had actually bought an album, song, or actively supported them with streaming etc they would still be here)... but I don't get what they are doing with Lightsum at all. The trouble with Lightsum right now is that their music and concept feels old fashioned. They sound and feel like a middle of the road 2018/19 group. They will need a strong rebranding if they are to come back, and I suspect that's what the Cube team are struggling with. There is no malice here from Cube I think, just an uncertainty as to where to go next in the post NewJeans girl group world. Reinventing a group for wider appeal while not pissing off the core existing fanbase is extremely hard and comebacks are an expensive gamble.

[@pey9898]

as a sumit myself, i really enjoyed this thank you

[@amber_kae]

You’re so welcome! Fingers crossed for a comeback announcement after BTOB’s in April. 🤞

[@mimicbox3]

I wasn't angry BUT NOW I AM

[@tywar7167]

the gourmet restaurant analogy was so spot on 😭there's no better way to describe it!

[@amber_kae]

I couldn’t think of any of other way to describe my point. 😂

[@WorldbreakerHulk0326]

Idle was able to succeed because they have members that are willing to fight with management to produce songs that they want to produce.

[@ilyuser]

more importantly cube seemed to respect soyeon’s opinions from the beginning. clc fought with cube a lot but they kept being dismissed bc cube never respected them

[@WorldbreakerHulk0326]

@@ilyuser She was able to prove herself to them with the number of hits she was able to make.

[@starfishluna5121]

It's so nice to see u cite the videos that's awesome!

[@kateemma22]

'Cube is a Red Lobster' NOOO OMG WHY IS THAT ANALOGY SO ACCURATE?

[@amber_kae]

🤣

[@_NXO_]

you are soooo well spoken!! great video and info on lightsum!

[@amber_kae]

Thank you so much! ☺️