‘Y’all making me mad’: Jungkook fans have been left seething as the lookalike contest fad hits a new low

Look-alike contests are still, apparently, a thing — and a really fun one at that. They’re a wholesome way for people to enjoy some lighthearted fun while trying to find the best stand-in for their favorite celebrities. But, as with anything, it’s all fun and games until the wrong doppelgänger is chosen.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened with BTS’s Jungkook. Three unlucky winners ended up facing the wrath of ARMY after the youngest BTS member’s features weren’t exactly… well, done justice. The contest took place on November 23, and as soon as the winners were announced and their photos shared on social media, it didn’t take long for fans to agree: no, these just weren’t it.

While the men in question aren’t unattractive by any means, calling them Jungkook look-alikes (Jungkook-alikes?) is… a bit of a stretch, to put it mildly. And as we all know, if there’s one group you don’t want to upset online, it’s BTS fans. ARMY took to X to voice their frustrations, with many humorous but genuine remarks. “Are the look-alikes in the room with us?” one fan joked. Another wrote, “Y’all making me mad, ’cause in what world do these people look like Jeon Jungkook?”

One particular comment struck a chord with fans, pointing out that this wasn’t the first time an Asian look-alike contest had ended in lackluster results. “I guess no look-alikes showed up, so they grabbed the first three Asian dudes they saw,” read the tweet. And honestly, it seems there might be some truth to that. Videos from the event showed several Asian participants, many of whom bore little to no resemblance to Jungkook. Yet it appeared that simply being Asian was the main criteria.

A similar situation occurred at a Zayn Malik lookalike contest in New York. Fans on X were equally baffled by the chosen winners, and much like Jungkook’s contest, the only apparent rule seemed to be: look even vaguely South Asian. One Reddit quipped, “I’m a 34-year-old Irish woman, and I look more like him than these people do.”

While these comparisons may come off as harsh or exaggerated, a quick look at the trend proves that there is quite a large standard inconsistency. Contests involving white celebrities tend to have much stricter standards for their winners. Take the one that started it all, the Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in NYC. Even the actor himself attended, and the winners were undeniably spot-on doppelgängers.

Earlier this week, a Glen Powell look-alike contest made headlines, especially after being publicized by the actor himself. Powell raised the stakes by promising the winner a role in his next film. The judging even included his own mother, making the competition not only high-stakes but also personal. Unsurprisingly, the standards were rigorous, and in the end, a flawless doppelgänger was crowned — double standards, huh?

Tough, to be fair, finding someone who resembles Jungkook anywhere outside of Korea would be a challenge in and of itself, but considering America is one of the most ethnically heterogeneous nations in the world, you’d think the contest wouldn’t have such an underwhelming result — especially given the initial excitement and humor surrounding the event itself.

Adding fuel to the fire, many fans suggested that the real winner should have been Hirai Saya, the wife of South Korean actor Shim Hyung-tak. Often dubbed the “female version of Jungkook,” she seemed like the perfect choice, but unfortunately, Saya wasn’t anywhere near the event, leaving ARMY once again, very disappointed.