What Is THEBLACKLABEL Doing With Youngseo?

Youngseo has the voice and potential to be in ALLDAY PROJECT, but THEBLACKLABEL seems confused about what to do with her.

ALLDAY PROJECT is currently one of the most talked about groups in K-pop. They’re a co-ed group that debuted under THEBLACKLABEL back in June 2025.

One of ADP’s members, Youngseo debuted with the group in June 2025, after a long and winding journey that included participating in the survival show R U Next?. She won a spot as a member of girl group ILLIT, but she left BELIFT LAB before the group debuted.

She’s talked about her fears of being “too old” to debut (she’s 19 and will turn 20 in November, but you know how K-pop industry standards works). So it’s frustrating to watch her finally get her shot only to be underused.

Mismanagement & Misalignment 

Youngseo didn’t know ALLDAY PROJECT would be a co-ed group when she signed with THEBLACKLABEL. That detail alone says a lot about how TBL presents her. She joined without knowing key facts, and now she’s been handed a role that feels like a mismatch.

What makes ALLDAY PROJECT stand out is that all the members have made a name for themselves in Korea’s entertainment industry before joining ADP. Bailey Sok is a dancer and choreographer. Tarzzan is a dancer and model. Woochan is a rapper who appeared on MNET’s Show Me The Money 6. Annie Moon is a rapper who’s family founded SAMSUNG.

It’s clear that THEBLACKLABEL had this in mind while working on the group’s concept. They went for a sporty, street-smart image with ALLDAY PROJECT and that’s fine. They have that exclusive, “too famous for their own good” vibe that most artists that are YG-adjacent have (THEBLACKLABEL founder Teddy used to be a producer at YG Entertainment).

Yet Youngseo is out of place. She’s dressed in outfits that are either too preppy for ADP’s sporty, casual image. Or the stylists put her in super short shorts and skirts that expose her underwear, despite the safety shorts Youngseo wears with her clothes.

I feel kind of sad writing this but it needs to be said. If you have to take off your clothes to be sexy, you don’t have that energy to begin with. Period. I love the concept of this group and I want it to succeed. I’m not naming names because I don’t want to pit one member against another. Youngseo is not the one who can pull off the sexy vibe in the group.

Seriously, how amazing would it be if they gave Youngseo parts that showed off her vocals?

She Has the Voice, So Why Won’t They Use It?

Youngseo is ALLDAY PROJECT’s only vocalist while everyone else is a rapper. And yet, in FAMOUS and WICKED, she’s buried beneath rap verses, and choreography-heavy sequences that do nothing to showcase her actual talent.

Even when she does get lines, they’re often placed in moments of transition like the post-chorus in FAMOUS. She’s the main vocalist. Why are her parts the least memorable?

I’m not saying that Youngseo needs to belt out a high note every time she opens her mouth. It would be nice if producers crafted moments around her voice the way NCT 127 does with Doyoung or Stray Kids does with Seungmin. You can still be a rap-forward group while giving your vocalist space to shine.

My main concern: the other members have to hold themselves back to lift her up because TBL is not focusing on Youngseo’s strengths.

The Choreography Doesn’t Compliment Youngseo 

Let me be clear: Youngseo can perform choreography but she’s not a dancer. Just like I can cook but I’m not a chef. Youngseo doesn’t have the natural rhythm or performance instincts that some of her members do. That doesn’t make her any less valuable.

It’s clear that parts of the choreo for FAMOUS is meant to showcase Tarzzan and Bailey’s dancing abilities. Annie Moon and Woochan can pull it off, but Youngseo spends more time posing than actually dancing.

The move Youngseo does at the beginning of FAMOUS doesn’t mesh well with the rest of the choreography. The way she sways her hips is awkward and clashes with the more fluid movements of her hands and arms.

Also, we need to talk about her posture. I’m not trying to be mean, but forcing Youngseo into hyper-arched, hip-popped poses isn’t just a bad fit for her. It’s a long-term health condition called the anterior pelvic tilt.

Also known as Donald Duck posture, it’ll cause future back pain by misaligning her back. This can affect childbirth in the future.

If you wouldn’t put a male idol in that kind of pose, why are you putting your youngest member in it?

ALLDAY PROJECT Could Learn From the Greats

Youngseo is not the problem here. She’s got talent and potential that’s waiting for her to tap into. What she doesn’t have is a label that knows what to do with her. THEBLACKLABEL is very good at making questionable decisions. Poor song choices, repetitive concepts, inconsistent comebacks. They’re giving HYBE & SM a run for their money.

There’s no reason Youngseo can’t be styled in outfits that are appropriate while still standing out visually from the rest of the group. Think of her as the “expensive” one. Dress her in a way that makes her look fashionable and confident, not just trendy. Think Jennie in her early days of BLACKPINK, or Wonyoung in IVE. Let her be the luxe contrast to the group’s edge.

She doesn’t need to move the same way as Bailey. Her energy could be in the way she sings or the looks she throws during a performance. Why not style and frame her that way?

It would also be nice if THEBLACKLABEL stopped throwing Youngseo into random sexy poses and half-hearted vocal lines. Give her parts that showcase her voice. Let her perform in ways that highlight her strengths. Start investing in what makes her special because right now, TBL is wasting that.

We’ll be keeping an eye on ALLDAY PROJECT now that they’ve debuted. When they have a comeback and depending on what direction TBL takes the group, we’ll write a follow-up article.

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