A post has instantly gone viral…
A post comparing rising 5th generation idol Hearts2Hearts‘ Ian to aespa’s Karina has gone viral, crossing over 50,000 views and drawing heated responses online.
The original post, “Hearts2Hearts Ian Feels Like an Upgraded Karina,” featured photos of Ian, leading to immediate backlash and debate.
While some netizens praised Ian’s visuals and aura, many took issue with the comparison to Karina, who remains one of K-pop’s most discussed and followed idols.
Some argued that the post was less about appreciating Ian and more about stirring fan wars by invoking Karina’s name. Others noted how Karina consistently trends even when unrelated to the original topic, reinforcing her star power.
This isn’t the first time a rookie idol has been dubbed a “new Karina,” but each time, it triggers intense comments and reactions from fans. While comparing rookie idols to established ones has been a way of introducing them to the public for quite a long time, it seems that K-Pop fans are growing increasingly tired of such comparisons.
- “You can really tell Karina is still at the top. Normally, when a rookie group debuts, all the trolls and haters swarm the new idols, and the older idols slowly lose buzz. But even when a new group debuts, it’s Karina who gets hate instead of them, lol. That just proves Karina’s a real star. Seriously.”
- “Another group debuted, but it’s Aespa getting all the hate, lol. Aespa really is the #1 girl group.”
- “Nate Pann wouldn’t survive without Karina, fr lolololol.”
- “Karina’s star power is just legendary.”
- “Trying to stir up drama.”
As the post continues to circulate, it’s clear that Karina remains a powerful figure in the industry. As such, any comparison — fair or not — is bound to get people talking.
