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Knetz continue to slam iKON's Bobby for being a father: 'You shouldn't be an idol'

Fans are defending the idol, saying, 'Bobby has been breaking the stereotype image of idols since trainee days'

When Bobby first announced that he would be marrying his girlfriend and that they were already expecting their first child, the response was divided. While some supported him, many called for him to be removed from iKON and sent him tons of hate. Dating has always been taboo in the K-pop industry as toxic and delusional fans who invest money in idols feel that they have control over their personal lives. And with Bobby announcing his wife’s pre-marital pregnancy, Knetizens were extremely harsh.

In an episode of ‘Golden Clinic’, iKON’s Donghyuk aka DK, Junhoe and Bobby got candid about losing their leader B.I, their fluctuating popularity, not being able to stick to their idol persona and Bobby’s marriage. DK revealed that when Bobby first told the members it was the first time he saw him crying so much. He said, “I just hugged him silently…I could feel all his emotions of fear so there was nothing I could say to him.” Junhoe also shared that Bobby had changed and that now his family’s priorities came before his own wants.

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Bobby opens up about his marriage

Bobby also opened up about how he felt when he heard the news. The iKON star said, “I was sorry to the iKON members. Although it’s something I should be congratulated for, because of the type of job that being an idol is, you are part of a team. So I went to each and every member and apologized...All the members were understanding and congratulated me. I was thankful for that. I told my parents and the company first. My life was kind of funny, how I had to explain everything....And there were so many things I had to fix that there was no room for me to feel things. As an idol, we have to be a good example but pre-marital pregnancy is not exemplary. I was sorry to the fans because of the order in which things happened.”

But with South Korea being a conservative country and as Bobby put it, Knetz bashed him since he was a celebrity that young people looked up to. Knetz felt that the news of his pre-marital pregnancy would put a bad precedent and so they didn’t hold back, “If you want to live your life the way you want, you shouldn’t be an idol.” Another Knetz brought in EXO’s Chen who was in a similar situation, “He still admits that he harmed the group, he’s not a model idol, and he feels sorry for the fans… But Chen didn’t do anything…” One user added, “You should have used birth control…. I think it’s funny to say that you’re worried that you might harm the group.”

'Why are so many people angry'

Fortunately, many fans and non-fans are defending Bobby. One user wrote, “You guys know that you still can have a baby even though you use contraception, right?” Another pointed out, “The fact is that iKON fans don’t seem to have much to say, but instead, why are so many people angry?” One commented, “K-netz are being their toxic selves.” Another said, “He doesn’t need to apologize or feel bad lmao??? nothing wrong with having a kid before getting married or having a kid as an active idol.”

One fan was upset, “Bobby posted a long message on Weverse to clarify himself about the things he said on Dr. Oh's Golden Clinic. It's so sick that people twisted his words and didn't understand him fully, now he had to explain himself and be sorry about it.” Another tweeted, “I love you @bobbyranika. I know how you feel and from the start I know how sincere you are. We'll always be here so don't worry.” One added, “Bobby has been breaking the stereotype image of idols since trainee days until now. Bobby, along with iKON is humanising these unrealistic perceptions towards these celebrities and I couldn't be more proud.”

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