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Sunwoo of The Boyz (IST Entertainment) |
The darker side of fame continue to haunt stars as the South Korean entertainment scene has recently been rocked by a series of incidents involving "sasaeng" fans -- meaning obsessive fans who engage in behaviors that invade the privacy of celebrities, including stalking.
IST Entertainment, home to the popular K-pop group The Boyz, revealed on its fan cafe site Thursday that member Sunwoo was ambushed by a sasaeng fan hiding in the emergency stairwell where the group members live as he was returning home.
“During the process of restraining the sasaeng fan, who was attempting to flee, (Sunwoo and staff member) were repeatedly assaulted. The individual has been arrested as an offender on charges of trespassing and assault, and a police investigation is currently underway,” the agency reported.
The company also disclosed that The Boyz have been facing repeated unauthorized visits from sasaeng fans to the boy band's agency, hair salons, home, as well as airports and flights. The agency added it recently discovered a GPS tracker attached to the group's vehicle and deliberate damage to a separate vehicle's tires.
According to IST Entertainment, both incidents involving the group's vehicles have been reported to the police as part of its continued efforts to protect the group's safety.
Singer and actor Kim Jae-joong has also recently been targeted by a sasaeng fan who posted fabricated photos on social media, falsely suggesting that Kim was in a romantic relationship with the individual. On Wednesday, Kim addressed the issue through his fan platform, Fromm, clarifying that the photos had been heavily edited and that the rumors about a relationship with the account owner were completely false.
“I’ve already found out their name and resident registration number, and I’ve also received photos of their face. I remember who they are,” Kim said through Fromm.
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Actor Song Jae-rim (Yonhap) |
Recent reports indicate that a celebrity who passed away last week had been subjected to harassment by sasaeng activities.
Actor Song Jae-rim, known for his roles in hit dramas such as "The Moon Embracing the Sun," “Two Weeks” and "Queen Woo," was found dead at his home in Seoul on Tuesday, at the age of 39. While his family has not revealed the cause of death, police reported no signs of foul play and found a document believed to be a suicide note at the scene.
In the aftermath of his passing, allegations emerged that Song had been harassed for over a year by a Japanese sasaeng fan. The individual reportedly used their account on social media platform X to post personal photos of Song and his acquaintances, as well as malicious comments such as, “Did the gifts from fans become offerings to (your acquaintance)?” and “Can your acting skills hide your despicable true nature?”
The sasaeng fan also allegedly spread personal information regarding Song and Song's acquaintance online. Shortly after the accusations gained traction following Song's demise, the fan in question deleted their X account.
Kim Jae-joong, who has been the target of sasaeng attacks throughout his twenty-year career, expressed in a YouTube interview in July that even if a perpetrator is punished, the celebrity still lives in fear of retaliation.
"Being stalked was so painful that I felt like I wanted to die," he said.
"What's even scarier is that even if they serve their sentence and are released, it’s still a problem. You have to leave the area because you're afraid of retaliation. What is this, really?" he said.
Under South Korea's Act on Punishment of Crime of Stalking, which came into effect in October 2021, perpetrators of stalking can face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($21,491). If weapons or dangerous items are involved, penalties may increase to up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
