Should Idols Have Set Positions?

[LostInTheDream]

Here is my take because I feel very strongly about this.

Yes they should have set positions.
Here is why:

1. It helps with identifying members when you are first stanning.
- If you tell me every member is a vocalist, dancer, and rapper I won't know what to look out for when I watch them perform.

2. It prevents inter-group fan wars.
a) When groups don't have set positions people are always arguing over who should have what or be what.
- Just go to the comments section of Loona, Kep1er, Enhypen, and TXT's kprofiles and you'll see so many of the posts are people posting what they think the positions should be and then other people getting mad.
b) Whenever a group has a comeback there is always the argument over line distribution. This is especially prevalent in groups like Loona where there are big gaps in the amount of lines given.
- If you look at a Loona line distribution and all the members have the same positions it wouldn't make sense why some members got many line and some barely any.
-In a group like Red Velvet, people do not question it when Wendy gets the most lines cause she is the Main Vocalist. They also don't question it when Yeri gets the least, as she is only a sub-vocalist.
*I wish line distributions could be equal, but I can't control kpop companies*

3. It adds individuality to the group.
- I am really against the idea of idols aiming to be all rounders rather than just focusing on one skill that they are already talented in.
- Yes sometimes idols just happen to be good at everything, but I don't think it should be a goal to be an all-rounder or an Ace. Would you rather be just good at everything or amazing at one thing and okay at everything else.
- By giving idols positions that emphasize their skills, it makes the group more diverse compared to a group where everyone essentially has the same position.

4. It is an insult to the idols who are truly skilled at something and not have it be recognized.
- For example, Heejin and Yves are phenomenal dancers in Loona and would most definitely be the main dancers if they had positions. But there are other members who have the same position as them (dancer) and are not nearly as talented as those two. When you are good at something you should get recognized for it!

What do you think?

 

[TaeBora~]

I don't think so.

Having a variety for each member could help show different sides of their talent. For example, BTS. There are labels such as Vocals and Rappers but that's all they limit themselves to. Besides that, during dance breaks everyone gets to show off their moves. In songs like 'Life Goes On" Hobi was practically singing and his 'position' is rapping. This goes for SKZ as well. Jisung is a surprisingly good singer, but if he was limited to only being a rapper we'd never know that. Hidden talents being shown in CB's are so exciting and unexpected.

In conclusion, by not having set positions, idols get to venture out and try different categories (dance, vocals and rapping) as well as styles. A person can't be caged into only doing one thing, especially if they know they can show more sides of themselves to fans. And fans love seeing more from their 'idols'.

 

[yunaing]

To me, it’s not very straight forward. I will use a couple groups as examples.

LOONA:
I think LOONA should have set positions. This is because simply the no positions thing isn’t working. You can’t say a group has “no positions” and then have the same 6 members having all the lines, all the screen time, all the centre time in EVERY COMEBACK.

TXT:
TXT work fine without positions. I don’t know much about the dance sector but listening to them singing Loser=Lover, there was no member who was clearly better at the others at singing.

MAMAMOO:
Mamamoo is kind of just like… a mix of both. Solar, Wheein and Hwasa are all “vocalists”, and they get treated as such. The line distributions between these 3 are always neck on neck. The issue is with Moonbyul. Her position is rapper/performer, and that’s what she does. That’s all she does. This means in songs such as Where Are We Now, instead of getting her joining her members in singing vocal parts, she gets cast aside.

Then, there’s the issue of when positions actually hinder the group.
Everglow and Purple Kiss are two examples of this.
The members who have vocalist positions get ALL THE LINES, whereas the others barely sing. I get it, that’s what their positions say, but that doesn’t really feel… fair. Yes, Mia, Sihyeon, Goeun, Chaein and Swan are the vocal line, but the others are still members in a MUSIC group.

So my overall consensus is that some groups don’t NEED positions, but examples of that are very few. Having “no positions” just to have that as a selling point isn’t effective if you’re just going to treat the members like they have positions anyway. But if you’re going to have positions, you also can’t have that as the only thing you work with. They should be a starting point, a guide, a concept, which you build from. Don’t base everything in the group on positions only T—T

 

[X-kai]

I semi disagree
I feel like positions limits some idols who are good at everything

Which is why I kinda Stan groups that don't really do this
For example
Ateez: Hongjoong can rap song and dance, so can mingi even seonghwa can rap a little and in my opinion all are visuals
Exo: Chanyeol Kai Sehun are all rappers but can also sing even Xiumin rapped in exo cbx, same goes for the visual
GOT7 too the rappers can sing

I feel like positions make things unfair as you said.

 

[sanasideup]

i think it depends on the grp. txt and skz don't have official postitions, and i think it works for them; but for grps like loona they absolutely should have positions. also, imagine if blackpink didn't have official positions. my god, the ensuing toxicity.

 

[Zerø_21]

i think it depends on the grp. txt and skz don't have official postitions, and i think it works for them; but for grps like loona they absolutely should have positions. also, imagine if blackpink didn't have official positions. my god, the ensuing toxicity.

Yes
It depends on the group

 

[Feeling Peachy]

Much like some of the others here, I also believe that it depends on the group, however that's not to say positions are a bad things. Positions can highlight some of the idol's greatest strengths, giving them the recognition they deserve.

All in all, each idol is talented in their own way, regardless of positions, and each bring something different to their group!

 

[babyz]

Yeah it depends on the group but personally I prefer it when they have set positions.
I'm not against the idea of them switching positions at times (not frequently) like for special showcases.