K-pop Stars Enter a Trot-Dominated Field
At the midpoint of 2025, the Netizen Awards are heating up—with an unexpected twist. K-pop idols VIVIZ’s Eunha, NewJeans’ Minji, and IVE’s Jang Wonyoung have officially joined the list of nominees for the Female Artist of the Year category for the first time this June. Until now, the award has been largely dominated by trot singers, but the arrival of these globally popular idols could disrupt the status quo.
Trot Reigns—for Now
As of 10:43 a.m. on June 3, veteran trot singer Jeong Seojoo leads the real-time rankings with 8,506 votes (53.6%), followed by Binnie Seo (11.5%), Eunga Eun (10.7%), and My Jin (10.0%). Clearly, trot still holds the crown—at least for the moment.
Low Vote Counts, High Impact
The idols started at the bottom of the list—Eunha with four votes, and both Minji and Jang Wonyoung with one each, placing them near the 18th to 20th spots. But don’t let those numbers fool you. These artists command massive fanbases and cultural impact, making their trajectory much harder to predict.
Why Their Entry Matters
Eunha has built a dedicated fan following through consistent musical activity and strong fan engagement. Minji continues to ride the global K-pop wave with NewJeans, while Jang Wonyoung remains a fashion and pop culture icon. Their inclusion isn’t just symbolic—it signals the active participation of the global K-pop fandom in what has traditionally been a local trot-oriented contest.
Can K-pop Fans Turn the Tide?
While the trot artists currently dominate, voting trends could shift quickly. June marks the final sprint for the first half of the year, and fan communities are known to rally hard when it counts. Should global fandoms launch a coordinated “all-in voting blitz,” there’s real potential for these idols to soar up the rankings.
A Silent Storm Brewing
Whether Eunha, Minji, and Jang Wonyoung can overtake the troopers remains to be seen. But their presence alone is enough to change the narrative. As K-pop icons step into the ring, the category is already undergoing a quiet transformation. All eyes are on how these starlets will shape the race in the remaining days of the month.
