i think 5th gen just had the big benefit of not debuting/having their rookie years during peak pandemic and quarantine T-T 4th gen got really unlucky with that and specifically the fan culture that developed from people being stuck at home and online 24/7 judging their every movement (even worse than it is on average, i mean. the sad end of year award shows where no one can even look at each other without the fear of god (fandom) being wreaked upon them)