SM Entertainment issues strong warning against the invasion of their artists’ privacy

By: Gelene Peñalosa - 2 years ago

Idols are human beings, too. Why can’t people, specifically sasaeng fans, realize this?

On March 6, 2023, SM Entertainment released a statement concerning their artists’ privacy being invaded by sasaeng fans. Specifically, they detailed an incident last November 2022, involving NCT’s Haechan.

Their statement is as reads:

“Hello. This is SM Entertainment.

We are giving our position regarding the recent increase in actions that severely invade the private lives of NCT members.

The members have been suffering severely due to the continuation of [actions such as ] visiting places related to the NCT members’ daily lives without authorization and waiting for them, following their vehicles, excessively contacting or photographing the members within the airport security zone including on-board the plane, illegally acquiring personal information and attempting to contact them indiscriminately, and spreading malicious rumors.

In particular, at the end of November last year, there was a trespassing incident at Haechan’s residence with a so-called “sasaeng”. As Haechan is living with his family, not only Haechan but also his family have complained about receiving considerable psychological damage.

The trespassing “sasaeng” has been indicted by the prosecution, and although [the case] was wrapped up generously without criminal punishment according to Haechan’s wishes, it revealed the seriousness of the issue of invading the privacy of artists, and we decided to reveal this situation with the means of making a warning so that a problem such as this no longer occurs.

We once again state that such actions are not actions that express interest in the artists but that they instill fear in the artists, and this is a stalking crime that causes severe harm to not only the individual but their family and acquaintances around them. We hope that the “sasaengs” immediately stop infringing on the artists’ private lives.

Going forward, we will severely deal with illegal actions such as the housebreaking of “sasaengs,” leaking of personal information, and stalking with zero tolerance. The agency will take strong legal action by all means we can proceed with, and we ask that you be cautious not to get involved in such shameful events.

We will do our best for the protection of our artists going forward.

Thank you.”

NCTzens were shocked after learning of the trespassing that happened in Haechan’s home, and even called him an angel after not pressing charges against the sasaeng even though he should have. Others have called out SM Entertainment as well for not taking any actions until “something” had been reported.

https://twitter.com/daddyhae/status/1632610638399946752?s=20

Sasaengs have been a constant problem for idols for quite some time now. Many idols have experienced so much hardships and trauma from these specific group of people. It’s also unfathomable how these people can’t respect an idol’s personal life and privacy—respect isn’t a hard concept to grasp.

Yet, sasaengs always take the cake for being one of the most disrespectful people that have ever walked the Earth, especially towards K-Pop idols. Once again, idols are people, too. They are not commodities that an individual person can own. They are human beings with feelings and sentiments.

If you can’t understand that, then you need help.

 

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