K-pop agency Starship apologizes for security assault on fan

South Korean label Starship Entertainment apologized for the excessive security actions taken against a fan of its boy group Cravity at an airport last month.

The K-pop agency posted an official statement to the boy band's fan community on Monday in response to a fan’s post on X. The fan alleged that Cravity’s security guard physically assaulted and mocked them at Gimpo International Airport on June 23 as the band returned to Korea from promotional events in Japan. The fan, identifying as a teenager, was later diagnosed with a concussion and expressed their intent to file a lawsuit against the security firm.

Following the incident, the entertainment agency apologized to all fans and those affected by the violent security measures, adding that they had terminated their contract with the security firm in charge of the boy band’s on-site security.

They also pledged to "establish new security protocols" to guarantee "the safety of fans as well as artists,” in the official statement.

In South Korea, excessive security measures for celebrities at airports remain a recurring problem that sparks public ire.

For example, South Korean actor Byeon Woo-seok faced backlash for his security team’s excessive actions against fans and travelers at Incheon Airport on July 12. The guards were reported to have shone flashlights at fans to prevent filming and blocked the boarding gate for 10 minutes to allow Byeon to board first.

In response, Incheon International Airport Corp. CEO Lee Hag-jae stated during a Land Infrastructure and Transport Committee meeting on Wednesday that the airport takes partial responsibility for the oversight of inappropriate security measures, which he described as “illegal.” He added that the airport plans to implement new behavioral protocols for private security firms and increase penalties for such misconduct.