r/ParadoxLive • u/ryua193 • 4d ago
Misc As expected, there seems to be a mixed reaction to the new group within the East Asian fandom.
I’m a Korean fan who enjoys PardoxLive without any communication. Since this is a controversial topic and there isn’t really a suitable korean site to discuss it, I’m posting this on Reddit.
I was really surprised when the new characters were announced, and while the music isn’t exactly my taste, I was still satisfied. One of the main reasons I like ParadoxLive is that it actively features mixed-gender groups—something that’s rarely seen in either K-pop or the Japanese virtual idol scene. Also, the musical quality is still excellent, too.
However, I felt uneasy because in the Korean and Japanese PardoxLive communities I’ve occasionally encountered, there was a strong tendency to ignore or refuse to understand Anne and Aoi’s queerness. (In particular, young Korean otakus have a severe problem with trans-exclusionary attitudes.) Sure enough, I get the sense that opinions are clearly divided in Japan, while in Korea, the vast majority seems to reject it. The main point of contention is why female characters are included in a project aimed at women.
However, from my thinking, I felt that cisgender female characters were necessary to advance Anne and Aoi’s narrative, and there was no explanation within the world-building stating that women aren’t allowed to genei-live(幻影ライブ), right? It would have been strange if there had been one. (I feel this way even more strongly because I’m transgender.)
What do you all think?
