LIGHTSUM, an eight-member girl group launched by CUBE Entertainment in 2021, faced a challenging path after their debut. On October 25, 2022, members Huiyeon (오휘연) and Jian (김지안) left the group, which then continued as a six-member act. Now in their third year since debut, the group has endured a long hiatus, with their last full-group release, “POSE!,” dating back to 2022. After approximately two years, they have returned to the stage, shifting their focus to Japan for a “re-debut” project.
Following a lengthy period of inactivity, LIGHTSUM suddenly announced plans for a re-debut project in Japan. While the initial market reaction to this announcement was not particularly enthusiastic, the project has since garnered an unexpectedly positive response in Japan.
As LIGHTSUM's popularity grew in Japan, some anti-Korean online comments emerged, accusing them of plagiarizing the Japanese girl group CUTIE STREET. However, many Japanese netizens actively refuted these claims and voiced their support for LIGHTSUM. This has united long-time fans who knew LIGHTSUM from their *Produce 48* days with new fans who discovered them through this re-debut, all rallying behind the group.
For fans who have quietly supported LIGHTSUM for a long time, the continuous extensions of their hiatus and CUBE Entertainment's perceived mismanagement of their activities had led many to mentally prepare for the worst. However, this re-debut project in Japan has injected new vitality into LIGHTSUM, bringing immense joy to their fanbase.
Korean Netizen Comments (Translated)
1. So this is the group Cho Won (한초원) is in! It's great that this new challenge seems to be working out. I hope they become super popular, fighting! 2. Oh my gosh, this is Cho Won's group! I hope they succeed, I'll support you all ㅠㅠ! 3. I wish they'd release another song like "VIVACE." That's my wish ㅠㅠ LIGHTSUM, fighting!
4. I hope everything goes well for Cho Won ㅠㅠㅠㅠ LIGHTSUM, fighting!!!! 5. Oh, the Japanese idol style feels fresh. It's great to see such positive reactions! 6. I hope everyone who's striving for success does well. I'm rooting for you ㅜ
7. I voted for Cho Won during *Produce 48*, but she was eliminated due to vote manipulation ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I hope she does even better in the future. 8. Cho Won cried on stage ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ 9. Cho Won in the thumbnail is really pretty.
10. Don't let those mediocre Japanese groups on Korean shows; please let LIGHTSUM appear. 11. Thank you so much for the support ㅠㅠ It's been five years since their debut, and there's not much time left until contract renewal season... But I'm so happy they have this opportunity now... I hope they do well in Japan and promote for a long time ㅠㅠ 12. So they're wearing clothes like Japanese idols. I hope they succeed.
13. Rebranding takes a lot of courage, both for the members and the company. I hope they succeed. 14. I agree... It's truly amazing to redefine their direction five years after debut... Honestly, I thought they'd give up and had prepared myself for it, so I'm incredibly grateful now... 15. Cube is a well-known company, isn't it? How could they neglect the girls to this extent? It's too much. I hope they get some recognition and continue their activities.
16. Honestly, that's ancient history, haha... Everyone's worried about what would happen if (G)I-DLE didn't renew, haha ㅠㅠ 17. I like Na Young (김나영), so I really hope this group succeeds... Anyway, I'm just grateful they can continue promoting. 18. I watched the stage video, and maybe because it's a cover song, the song structure feels like a K-Pop song, hahaha. Anyway, it's great to see a reaction.
19. The company probably felt bad for the members too. If it were a truly hopeless company, they'd be developing new artists after this. While I wish they'd done well from the start, I think Cube's current move is a good one. Fighting! 20. Yu Jeong (이유정) ㅠㅠ I supported you during *Produce 48* ㅠㅠ 21. Na Young is my bias too ㅠㅠ Na Young is truly a born idol... She has so much idol charisma... but too few opportunities to show it ㅠㅠ I hope she gets more chances now. Even I support her, ㅠㅠ I'm touched...
22. That's right, honestly, if a group's concept suddenly changes drastically, fans might leave, and they must have thought a lot about it themselves, but I support them for having the courage to seize this opportunity... And the members must be getting a lot of strength from the fans who have always supported them. I sincerely hope they succeed. 23. I saw in LIGHTSUM's online variety show that their long hiatus was due to internal disagreements within the company, but they didn't seem to give up, which made me look at Cube in a new light. I hope Cube doubles down on supporting them to make up for what they didn't do well before. 24. Exactly, honestly, the makeup and styling are for the Japanese market, but the song style is typical of K-Pop girl groups debuting in Japan, hahaha. When they were severely neglected, I really... had a lot of thoughts about Cube, but I'm still grateful they're trying again... Cube, do it properly ㅡㅡ
25. I really cried watching Na Young's interview ㅠㅠ Na Young was a trainee at a small company during *Produce 48*, then went to Cube, and everyone congratulated her on finally making it big, it feels like yesterday ㅠㅠ Cube, wake up now and promote them properly. I also watched the stage, and the LIGHTSUM girls are all beautiful and very talented. Fighting! 26. I sincerely hope Cho Won does well. I listen to LIGHTSUM's songs every time they come out ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Thankfully, they're getting a good response in Japan! I hope they keep getting good news ㅎㅎㅎㅎ 27. Cube, please hold on a little longer ㅠㅠ Don't just end their seven-year contract because they didn't hit it big once. Treat them like rookies who debuted a year ago. I truly believe that if they stick with this concept, they can succeed.
28. I got to know Sang Ah (윤상아) because she's a huge fan of my favorite baseball team. I really hope she succeeds ㅠㅠ 29. That's right... Honestly, when the hiatus got long, everyone quietly disappeared and left... Your words make me feel like holding on was worth it ㅠㅠ Thank you so much. Exactly... Everyone loved them so much when they went to Cube ㅠㅠ Thank you so much for watching the stage ㅠㅠ. What is baseball fan loyalty... I'm touched... 30. That kind of dress isn't just for Japan, even Korean elementary schoolers would like it, and the song is cheerful and great! I hope they succeed!!!
31. So there's a story like this ㅠㅠ Fighting!! I hope they succeed. 32. By the way, Kwon So Hyun (권소현) from 4Minute now works at Cube and is in charge of LIGHTSUM. 33. If they become more popular this time, a full-member contract renewal might not be a dream ㅠㅠ
34. I really don't vote ㅠㅠ My first vote was for Cho Won in *Produce 48*. Cho Won, I support you! Fighting! Work hard!!! 35. I got to know LIGHTSUM because of Sang Ah, and I've listened to their songs. It's great that they're doing so well with their Japanese activities, hahaha. Sang Ah, come back and throw the first pitch again!! 36. I also had too much to say, wrote a whole bunch, then felt awkward and deleted it ㅠㅠ Whether it's a cute concept or a K-Pop concept, I just hope the girls renew their contracts and make up for the time wasted during the hiatus, at least promoting long enough to be compensated. Please, they must succeed. Of course, it's best if they become hugely popular, but in Japan, if you have a solid core fanbase, you can promote for a long time once you reach a certain scale. If they can continue to be loved like that, it would be wonderful. LIGHTSUM, fighting!
37. How desperate must they have been to do this? If you want to talk nonsense, at least listen to LIGHTSUM's music a hundred times first. 38. It's good to see Na Young happy because her schedule has increased. I hope she does even better. 39. I liked Na Young and Cho Won during *Produce 48*, but their talents weren't fully utilized, which broke my heart ㅠㅠㅠ This must have been a difficult decision, and I hope they succeed. All the members are very beautiful and seem very talented.
40. Seeing haters stirring trouble means they're really about to get popular. 41. After reading this article and watching their self-produced content, I really hope they succeed ㅠㅠ From *Produce 48*, Cho Won and Na Young seemed like they were born to be idols. LIGHTSUM, fighting!! 42. I supported Na Young during *Produce 48*, and hearing her talk about the calendar broke my heart. I hope she succeeds ㅠㅠㅠㅠ!!
43. Where did Cho Won go? Oh my gosh, I only remember her as a child... She's so pretty. 44. I'm a Japanese group fan, and they look great dressed like this, hahaha. Na Young, of course, but Cho Won has a stronger style, and I thought it wouldn't suit her, but it suits her perfectly. 45. Yu Jeong was also a member of the same season of *Produce 48*~ She was part of the maknae line, so some fans might remember her. Ju Hyeon (한주현) was also a young trainee in The Unit, so some fans might know her too!
46. However, it's true that Cube's outfits are too similar to CUTIE STREET, so they'll get some criticism, and they might have to accept that... CUTIE STREET is almost the only case of a Japanese girl group gaining traction in the K-Pop scene, so its significance must be very great. 47. I thought I hadn't heard this song, but I've heard it many times on short videos and Reels. 48. That's right, they might be accused of plagiarism, but because the group being plagiarized is Japanese, there's less controversy... However, because there's a victim, Han Cho Won, I still hope they succeed.
49. Above is CUTIE STREET, below is LIGHTSUM. Isn't it heartless to call everyone who criticizes them anti-Korean haters? 50. I watched Na Young's video and cried seeing her on *M Countdown* again after three years ㅠㅠㅠ I hope everyone supports them more. I've seen popular Japanese groups on forums a few times, and their outfits are all in this style, hahaha. Are you trying to pour cold water without reading the content? Even Japanese people are reacting this way, what are Koreans saying? The article says it's for the Japanese market, debuting in Japan, setting a concept like typical Japanese groups, and a Japanese girl group gaining traction in Korea << ?? I'm speechless. 51. Do you only know CUTIE STREET as a Japanese girl group... This kind of clothing is super~~~~~~~~~ common among Japanese girl groups.
52. Do you think only CUTIE STREET wears these kinds of clothes?
