Han Chowon (한초원), who gained attention during the Mnet survival show “Produce 48” due to a ranking manipulation scandal, has once again become a hot topic in Korean online communities regarding her recent career developments. After officially debuting in 2021 as a member of the girl group LIGHTSUM, the group's activities faced a period of stagnation. Now, after nearly two years, she is back on stage, with a recent shift in focus towards activities in Japan, attempting to restart with a new image.
During her time on “Produce 48,” Han Chowon enjoyed considerable popularity, but her ranking was ultimately manipulated during the show's broadcast, making her one of the victims of the scandal. After the show concluded, she did not make it into the final debut group IZ*ONE, instead debuting in 2021 as a member of CUBE Entertainment's girl group LIGHTSUM.
In the early stages of her debut, Han Chowon's fancams unexpectedly garnered significant attention within Korean male online communities. Some netizens even suggested that her agency's subsequent activity arrangements seemed to deliberately emphasize her physique and feminine charm. While some core fans disagreed with this type of promotion, it is challenging for idol group fancams to achieve high view counts, so they continued to support her activities.
One of Han Chowon's fancams even surpassed 30 million views, becoming a remarkable record for her since her debut.
However, impressive view counts did not fully translate into actual popularity or an increase in fans. LIGHTSUM's subsequent group activities gradually decreased, and Han Chowon also experienced a prolonged period of inactivity.
Now, the group has finally restarted. LIGHTSUM is back on stage after nearly two years, shifting some of their activities to Japan and releasing Japanese songs. They hope to rebuild their popularity through the Japanese market, a move some fans see as a “re-debut.”
Recently, Han Chowon's styling for stages like Waterbomb has also sparked discussion. Some stage outfits and choreography emphasize the bust line, and combined with her styling in multiple fancams, some Korean netizens believe it is similar to past promotional directions.
One netizen directly stated, “The dance and outfits emphasize the chest, it's really confusing.” Another, seeing Waterbomb-related photos, exclaimed, “The thumbnail startled me,” expressing hope that she could develop a different image in Japan than in the past.
However, many netizens also defended Han Chowon, arguing that survival itself is difficult for idol groups under small and medium-sized agencies. Even if their activity strategies are controversial, it might just be an attempt to seize any opportunity to keep the group active, and thus hoped that the public would not be overly critical.
Another netizen commented that Han Chowon possesses both talent and visuals, expressing hope that “she can develop well.” Others praised LIGHTSUM members' singing abilities and appearances, believing that the members themselves have good conditions.
Some Korean netizens also pointed the finger at the agency's operational strategy, suggesting that the company “doesn't seem to manage well.” From past sudden member withdrawals to song quality, fans have expressed disappointment. Some also hoped that with Han Chowon's move to Japan, she could shed her past controversial sexy image and regain public affection with a different persona.
After Han Chowon recently released Japanese songs, fans have also promoted her online, stating that she “possesses passion, talent, and visuals,” can master any style, and that the Japanese idol style suits her well, urging everyone to support her new songs.
For fans who have supported Han Chowon throughout her journey, from being a victim of the “Produce 48” manipulation scandal to facing group activity stagnation after debut, LIGHTSUM is finally back on stage, seeking new opportunities in the Japanese market. Many fans are highly anticipating this, hoping it will truly be a turning point for their fresh start.
