u/IAm_Pandaa

People should stop comparing and using Wonhee debuting in Illit as Justification for Sakura's debut. Both of their situations are completely diferent.

(DISCLAIMER: I do not hate Sakura. I actually feel sorry for her, given the amount she is facing/yet to face at such a young age. Also, this is NOT her fault. It is completely HxG's fault. I am not hating her, merely criticizing. Plz do not give hate in the comments)

First of all, I think is the biggest difference and what affects this most. Wonhee was chosen AS 1 OF 6 GIRLS TO DEBUT while Sakura WAS THE ONLY ONE, THE FINAL PIECE. You're telling me, out of 14,000 girls; they could not find a singular perfect polished trainee??

Next we go to the background. Sakura is debuting with 3 other people, all in their twenties and who have been training together since Dream Academy. While Wonhee debuted with people her age and they were formed together. This will eventually lead to Saint Satine's chemistry being a more business-like one (Not the girls' fault TBH) while Illit did built their chemistry from the scratch.

I think this is what is going to affect Sakura the most. She will have to learn a completely new language while Wonhee debuted singing a language she had pre-learned.

Last but not least, Sakura cannot sing. Wonhee had a natural singing ability (Of Course, there were other girls in the show who could sing way better). But comparatively, Wonhee is very very ahead compared to Sakura in singing.

Wonhee also fits the group concept perfectly. She is the face of the group and she does suit their dreamcore concept. Meanwhile, Sakura does not match the other girls' vibe (Seeing the recent appearances).

Also, Wonhee during the show, was very popular in both Korea and Japan. While scouring the internet now, I saw most people in both countries wanted Ayana to debut.

Honestly, HxG did not think this through. Ayana in my opinion, was perfect to debut.

NGL, I feel bad for Sakura. Imagine having to learn a new language and that to be in a group who have known each other for 3 years and are friends and on top of this, face overwhelming hate for not matching the other 3's skill level.

Today I saw a video of former /Current? Wanna One member Lai Kuanlin talking about his lingering feelings for Korea. How he still cooks Korean food, keeps meaningful tattoos from that time, and the emotions that come up when reconnecting with old members. It really struck a chord and sent me down a deep rabbit hole about Chinese idols in the K-pop industry, particularly from the 3rd generation.

What really stood out is how, out of all the mainland Chinese idols who debuted in major 3rd gen groups with strong Korean activities, SEVENTEEN’s Jun and The8 (Minghao) are basically the only ones not only still consistently active and but fully thriving in the K-pop scene. They continue to participate in group promotions, comebacks, concerts, and all the regular Korean activities even now while still maintaining popularity back in China. You could also include Lay from EXO in the conversation, but he has had heavy focus on his solo career in China and limited group activities for years.

Pretty much everyone else from that era eventually shifted their main activities back to China. EXO-M members like Kris, Luhan, and Tao left the group early on. Chinese trainees and idols from various other 3rd gen projects followed similar patterns, returning home for survival shows, acting, variety, or solo music opportunities there. The THAAD tensions and the unofficial ban that started around 2016-2017 made it incredibly difficult to maintain balanced careers across both markets. Restricted promotions, shifting public sentiment, and rising nationalism on both sides pushed many toward choosing one side, and for most the Chinese market became the more viable long-term option.

It’s fascinating how Jun and The8 have been able to stay deeply embedded in SEVENTEEN and the Korean K-pop world throughout all of that. Whether it’s the group’s stability, their own approach, management, timing, or something else, they’ve made it work in a way that feels pretty rare for that generation.

But seeing Kuanlin’s reflections made the whole thing feel a bit bittersweet, thinking about all the different paths and “what if” stories from that time. Big props to the Seventeen Chinese members for navigating it so successfully long-term.

Are there any other 3rd gen Chinese idols I’m missing who are still properly active in Korean promotions and group activities? Or has it really come down to just Jun and The8 at this point? Just sharing some thoughts and observations about how the industry evolved, not trying to stir politics.

Would love to hear what you all think!