BOYNEXTDOOR’s agency, KOZ Entertainment, issued an apology regarding the recent controversy of the group’s bodyguard allegedly assaulting a fan.
Last December 18, various posts were made containing a video of one of BOYNEXTDOOR’s bodyguards pushing a fan at the airport. The video went viral and drew negative remarks online. Some criticized the fact that the bodyguard pushed the fan so hard that she fell over.
The victim and fan called the bodyguards “thugs” and spoke against HYBE, who acquired KOZ Entertainment in 2020. The now-viral post states, “Did HYBE hire gangsters instead of security guards? The day a HYBE artist was leaving on an airplane, the group’s security grabbed my shirt and threw me down, so I had to go to the hospital. I was told I have a fracture. I’m in a cast now.”
The alleged victim further posted a photo of herself in a cast and an official diagnosis form from the hospital.
하이브는 경호팀이 아니라 깡패를 고용하나요?
다른 하이브 아티스트 출국날에 경호팀이 제 옷 잡고 집어던져서 병원갔더니 골절이라고 해서 깁스했습니다.
이미 연예인이고 경호팀이고 다 떠났는데 고객센터가 있는것도 아니고 문의할 창구가 없어 그냥 혼자 똥밟았다 생각하고 https://t.co/bE7Nv1WIS9 pic.twitter.com/1VX6JAE0sU— ジジ (@qwaszxcvbnm098) December 19, 2023
HYBE’s team did not check on her after the encounter, according to the fan. She stated, “The celebrity and security team already left, and there was nowhere to get help. I stayed quiet, so I wouldn’t affect the group negatively. After 10 days or so, the security team contacted me, and when I told him what happened, he got upset that I didn’t tell him sooner and claimed if I had they would have done something…?”
She also added that the security team member in question made it out like the incident was her fault. The fan explained, “I don’t have X-rays on my eyes or anything to see I suffered a fracture. How would I know? The security guard made it seem like it was my fault and claimed their actions were necessary because they had to protect the artists. I want to ask HYBE – Does HYBE’s security team always use protecting artists as an excuse to beat up, throw around, and break fans’ bones?”
과잉경호다vs애초에 붙어서 촬영하는게 문제다로
의견갈리는 보넥도 공항 영상 https://t.co/84ypd0STc5 pic.twitter.com/9F9VZv4pt0— 뽀송이🫧 (@BBOSONGEEEEE) December 17, 2023
On December 19, KOZ Entertainment responded with the following apology:
“Hello.
This is KOZ Entertainment.
We apologize to the fans for the problem caused by the inappropriate actions of a bodyguard who was performing security duties for BOYNEXTDOOR on December 16 at the Qingdao airport.
We apologized separately to the person who was directly harmed [in the incident], and for the sake of aftercare, we are currently asking them about their mental and physical health, as well as whether there was any damage to their belongings. We have taken measures to ensure that the security personnel in question is not assigned to our artist on-site in the future.
We will do everything we can to strengthen guidance and education of our security personnel so that this problem does not reoccur in the future.
Once again, we apologize to the fans.
Thank you.”
The company then revealed that they had personally extended apologies to those who were directly affected by the issue. They also announced that the security member involved has already been dismissed and would not be assigned anymore to provide security to their artists in the future.
KOZ Entertainment announced that they would implement additional security training and guidance for their personnel. They expressed their commitment to enhancing the security education to prevent any more occurrences like this incident in the future.
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