Ive's Jang Won-young's 'ceremonial kickoff outfit' is controversial. There are arguments claiming it is 'unnecessarily provocative' and opinions stating that 'since she is not playing in the match, the criticisms regarding suggestiveness are excessive.'
On the 30th, Jang Won-young participated in the ceremonial kickoff and halftime performance at the '2025 Coupang Play Series' first match held at Suwon World Cup Stadium. The game featured the English Premier League (EPL) 'Newcastle United' facing off against 'Team K League,' composed of domestic players, drawing a lot of attention from soccer fans.
On that day, the members of Ive wore tailored blue tops. Jang Won-young participated in the ceremonial kickoff wearing a halter neck mini dress and short pants.
Footage and photos of Jang Won-young's ceremonial kickoff spread rapidly across various social media (SNS) platforms through broadcasts and videos taken by spectators at the venue. Some responded by saying it was 'too revealing.' The argument is that while it may be fine for stage outfits, it is inappropriate for a ceremonial kickoff. There were also many comments pointing fingers at the stylist.
On the other hand, there were also numerous supportive comments regarding Jang Won-young's outfit, stating, 'It's simply pretty,' 'Since she is not playing in the match, it doesn't matter,' and 'It's appropriate since she came to enhance the event.'
The outfit on that day was reportedly reformed based on the opinions of the Ive members, including Jang Won-young. After the event, Ive member Rei communicated with fans through a platform, saying, 'Aren't our Ive uniforms super cute?' and 'We asked for the reformation as each of us wanted to wear what we liked.'