Recently, the K-pop group Ateez has ignited a hot debate online after their latest song, ‘Lemon Drop’, made its debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 69. This was a very important moment as they became the third male K-pop group after BTS and Stray Kids to enter the chart. However, amid excitement, the group became the focus of some controversy.
While many fans were happy and expressed joy, others on social media started to question if the chart position was real. Some international fans were surprised by where the song charted. One user noted that the song did not appear on the Global Spotify, US Spotify, Apple Music, Apple Music US, Amazon Music, or Billboard Global 200 charts.
It only reached number 36 on US iTunes. This user then questioned how it could reach number 69 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Another user jokingly congratulated Ateez for being the first artist to enter the Hot 100 without appearing on Global Spotify. More users joined the discussion and wrote that the Hot 100 chart no longer meant much if a song that seemed to appear nowhere else could chart so high.
Fans Defend ATEEZ’s Achievement
However, Ateez fans strongly disagreed with these claims. They stated that it was unfair to question Ateez’s success. One fan added that newly debuted K-pop groups from big companies can often have their songs chart immediately without much fuss. The fan then questioned why it was suddenly considered fake when it was Ateez, a group that has been working for seven years.
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Another fan mentioned that many people on the internet were upset because Ateez is a group that achieved success without the help of a large, powerful company. This fan stated that calling Ateez frauds was wrong. Instead, they mentioned that this success was what true, natural growth looked like after almost seven years of hard work.
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