In 2024, HYBE organized a “free hug” fan event at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul. All the K-pop fans were enjoying the fan event when suddenly, a 50-year-old Japanese woman wrapped her hands around BTS Jin’s neck and planted a quick kiss, which was caught on multiple cameras, sparking a major controversy online. Many K-pop fans termed it unethical and uncomfortable for the idol.
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BTS Jin Harrasment Case
During the event, BTS Jin was meeting his dearest fans and giving free hugs, but the Japanese woman made him uncomfortable; as a result, fans demanded legal action against the woman who molested the K-pop idol. In view of this, fans filed a petition through South Korea’s e-petition portal. Now the Seoul District Prosecutor’s office has accused the 50-year-old woman of sexual assault in a public place. The case is now transferred 9th Criminal Division of the Seoul Eastern District Court for further trial.
According to Jung Tae Won from LKB Pyeonsan Law Firm, the Japanese woman may face imprisonment for not more than a year or a fine of 30 million won ($ 20,500). He also said in a statement, “While a free hug presupposes a voluntary embrace, a kiss clearly exceeds the scope of the act and carries legal consequences.”
He also analyzed the case from a foreign national perspective and said that, since the 50-year-old Japanese woman is a foreign national, the Korean criminal code and special law will apply to her. Though we know she is Japanese but the incident happened in Korea, and she will face trial in the Korean court. She may also face deportation or an entry ban.
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GFRIEND SinB and Yerin Inappropriately Touched
GFRIEND members witnessed multiple instances of harassment at the hands of fans and the public at the fan meets and events. K-pop group GFRIEND members like SinB and Yerin were inappropriately touched by the staff or the fans during the fan events or any other agency-related event. Videos and photos went viral to expose the accused, but not every time the accused was booked.
Yerin (Soloist – Ex Gfriend) Got literally harassed by a MC/Youtuber and the video got finally privated after 2 days.
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Many fans reported that a staff member was wrongly touching SinB. The member was seen lingering his hand around SinB’s waist and lower back, which outraged fans online.
In a viral video, a fan was touching Yerin’s hands and arms so inappropriately that it was clearly visible on her face. Both incidents were reported by fans and sparked major controversies on Twitter and other social media platforms. Many fans urged for better protection and safety for K-pop idols. As a result, companies tightened the rules for fan meets and events.
TWICE Nayeon Chased by a Stranger on a Flight
TWICE members and their fans reported several instances of harassment in the recent past. TWICE members Sana, Nayeon, and Tyuzu have faced physical harassment at the airports and other places. People try to touch their hands, waist and pull them for photos.
A well-known case is of Nayeon, where a foreign traveller tried to touch Nayeon on a flight and again at the airport. The CCTV footage showed a foreign stalker trying to touch TWICE members, especially Nayeon, at the arrival and departure from the airports, and he boarded the same flight as Nayeon to touch her on the flight.
TWICE Nayeon’s Stalker Allegedly Threatens To Kill Her If She “Dates Secretly”
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Fans demanded that JYP Entertainment improve security for the K-pop idols. Following this, JYP issued multiple legal warnings and ultimately obtained a restraining order.
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A Stalker Followed Apink Members
Apink’s Eunji speaks out against stalker fans
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Between 2017 and 2020, Apink members reported several harassment incidents, including a stranger who followed them, threatened them, and tried to approach them at several places. The stranger called the police and made fake scenarios and threats to let Apink out of their dorm. He also made several attempts to break into broadcast places, and as a result, several fan sign events and meets for the K-pop group Apink were cancelled for their safety.
Apink fans, also known as Pink Pandas, urged Play M Entertainment to raise the security level for the group and limit group interaction with the general public and fans for a while. Play M Entertainment tightened security for the K-pop group and invited police involvement in the case, though it did not turn into a serious one, as not all touching and stalking events included in the attempted physical harassment.
Play M announces they have officially filed a lawsuit against the stalker of Apink Jeong Eun Ji
— The Seoul Story (@theseoulstory) August 25, 2021
Despite issuing several warnings, the stalker turned up at Eunji's house recently
Source: https://t.co/4tbFEWvjBh pic.twitter.com/8sWOYgEKQM
HyunA Selfie Incident at University Event
HyunA was invited to a university event to perform on stage, and after the performance, HyunA was taking selfies with students. Suddenly, a male student approached her for a selfie and touched her chest while acting as if he were taking a photo, and nothing happened. The video went viral, showing the incident and how HyunA’s facial expression changed quickly after the incident.
Fans mocked the college for poor security and a really bad crowd. They also demanded the university reveal the identity of the student and sparked a wider public debate over idol safety at university-level events. However, many fans praised HyunA for her professionalism and how she handled the situation despite being shocked.
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IU Faced Inappropriate Behaviour From Male Fans
IU is one of the primary targets of online hate comments, trolls, and online sexual harassment since the start of her career. She has inappropriate behaviour from fans and staff members during her live events and performances as well. Such instances include fans trying to grab her hands or arms during fan meets, circulating sexual rumours about IU online and posting invasive and hateful comments on her post.
Where’s the IU hate coming from?
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One of the major incidents was when a man entered an IU fan event with a hidden camera and malicious intent. Following this, IU’s agency filed multiple police and legal cases and fined several offenders. Many fans demanded more legal actions to counter sexual harassment online and offline against IU. In a slew of these events, IU became popular for aggressively taking the legal route to set a precedent.
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