Obsessive fans of K-pop artists who go to extreme lengths to see their idols are called “sasaeng fans.” Everyone hates them: both the artists themselves, who tolerate their unwanted attention, and ordinary fans, who are overshadowed by the actions of inadequates. Here are the most creepy and curious cases in which K-pop artists suffered from the actions of unpleasant stalkers.
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The German Is Looking for Nayeon
A guy named Josh lives in Germany. He has an unpleasant peculiarity: he loves stalker Nayeon from the group TWICE. His unhealthy love for the artist is known from his own endless appeals to the pop singer, for whom he feels great sympathy. The fan decided to travel to South Korea and conquer Nayeon’s heart. But he didn’t know where she lived.
Just like a professional 20Bet bettor, Josh created an entire strategy. He literally wrote to everyone he could in the hope of finding out where to meet with the artist and finally clarifying the relationship between them. The story about the German sasaeng reached the label of the collective JYP Entertainment. However, Josh tried to contact the representatives of the company, so they were aware of the situation, which no longer seemed like a joke.
Once, the fan was in South Korea several times and didn’t leave the attempt to get in touch with the artist. Nayeon and the other TWICE members were even placed under law enforcement protection for a while. At one point, Josh realized the futility of his actions and returned to his home country. Nayeon’s fans didn’t sit idly by and found out the address of the stalker and his relatives. Internet poisoning has already turned in his direction.
Now the YouTube channel has been silent for a year, but it’s unlikely that the guy left his love behind. Perhaps he’s just laying low and waiting for a new opportunity to meet Nayeon.
Inhumane Bullying of Baby V.O.X.
Sasaeng fans are characterized not only by an unhealthy love but also by a strong hatred for other artists. Especially if the performer finds a couple from another group.
In 1996, H.O.T. appeared, which is considered to be the first Idol K-pop group. They enjoyed rabid popularity in Asia. A year later, the successful girl group Baby V.O.X appeared. The real trouble for the girls came when the artist Kang Min-ah from their group started dating Moon Hee-joon from H.O.T.
It was a real disaster for the girls. The Baby V.O.X. members were hunted down by jealous H.O.T. fans. They were egged on in public places. Kang cut herself with a letter she received at one of the fan meetings because a detractor hid a blade in it. She was also sent a note wishing her to “go to hell,” written in blood. Another member of the collective was sent a dead cat.
The one who suffered the most was Yoon Eun-hye. She was shot in the eyes with a water pistol filled with a mixture of soy sauce, red pepper, and vinegar. The injury was unpleasant, and the singer had to wear a bandage for a while, but the incident didn’t affect her health in the future.
The guards had to watch all the participants in the fan meetings very carefully to avoid possible provocations. K-pop fans still remember this story and censure sasen, and there are no such problems in the industry now. The labels and the Korean government have started to monitor such incidents more closely.
Fast and Furious From the Fans
Super Junior member Kim Hee-chul also had bad luck with certain members of the fan base. One day, he was driving when he noticed that the sasaeng fans were following him with their car. Since Kim didn’t particularly want to be followed, he tried to get away from them. He used various routes to get away, but ended up getting into a car accident and injuring his leg. And it could have gotten a lot worse. After all, in 2006, Kim was also involved in a serious car accident. Seven iron rods were inserted into his left leg, and rehabilitation was required.
Incidents of artists being chased by sasaeng fans in a car aren’t uncommon. Jackson of the South Korean boy band GOT7 was also involved in an accident when he increased his speed to get away from a tailgater. The group’s label, JYP Entertainment, issued a statement after the incident, saying, “Please don’t chase your favorite Idols in cars, they are waiting for them at home.”
But if you can get away from them in a car, how do you deal with situations where the artist is defenselessly sleeping? Kim Jae-joong, a member of South Korean pop group JYJ, was in a sauna when he laid down to rest in a special sleep section. While the singer was peacefully sleeping, a female fan snuck up on him to take a picture of him. There is a suspicion that the girl also gently smacked the poor guy. He was hardly happy with her social media post when he woke up. It’s good that fans condemned it and chiseled the episode on the tablets of “disgusting behavior.”