NCT WISH Faces Backlash Over Fan Event Security Disputes: KpopStarz News

“Does this really need to go up to 800 posts?” This was the sentiment echoing through Seoul as NCT WISH, a popular K-Pop group, faced criticism after their recent fan sign event at COEX Mall.

The event, initially intended to be a “public” fan sign, was marred by heavy-handed security measures that sparked widespread accusations of fan mistreatment.

The event, promoted for its accessibility to fans and passersby, was hosted at the bustling COEX Mall. However, many found the reality at the scene to be markedly different. Social media was awash with videos showing security guards aggressively managing fans and even bystanders attempting to capture the event on their cellphones.

One viral video showed guards shouting “Keep it moving” at fans trying to record the moment. These interactions painted a picture of overzealous enforcement, much to the dismay of attendees.

240728 WISH Public Fansign COEX

F*cking frightening! Geez. Look how many react to me taking out my phone for a second.

– @loveringcandy/X

“I was shocked by how many guards reacted to me just pulling out my phone for a second,” tweeted one fan, highlighting the frustrations with the excessive security. Another fan shared a distressing experience of being ordered to leave an area near the event, despite having no intention of attending, only to face hostility from the guards—a sentiment echoed by many others.

One particularly troubling incident involved security personnel locking visitors inside a nearby gacha shop, even threatening them with police action. The patrons, many of whom were simply there to play games, found themselves trapped and photographed by security personnel.

The guards locked people inside the COEX gacha shop behind the fansign event space today. People in the gacha shop were confined to that small, stuffy space by the guards who insisted on stopping them from exiting. In fact, right before the event started, the guards even took pictures of the people in the shop, threatening to report them to the police for harassment. But people were literally there to play gacha.

– @onlyctinn1/X

Critics swiftly condemned the event’s planning, which was managed by SM Entertainment. They argued that holding a public event in such a crowded venue without properly accounting for security implications was a significant oversight.

Many felt that the event’s heavy-handed security approach contradicted the very essence of a public fan sign, designed to engage both fans and the general public. On social media, Koreans expressed their dismay, with comments ranging from frustration over security’s perceived abuse of power to disbelief at the event’s poor execution.

“Celebrities are not that big of a deal,” one commenter wrote, critiquing the power dynamics. “Stars need fans to exist. So what’s with all the power tripping?”

Other comments included: “WISH is from SM and NCT, but they’re pushing through as if they’re some big deal when they’re not well-known? It’s kind of funny. (Separately, it’s definitely true that those security guards acted thoughtlessly.)”

Another user questioned, “If they’re going to be like that, why even have a public fan sign?”

One fan revealed, “I went to COEX today and saw that they blocked off the escalator going down completely, causing a commotion… hahaha.”

Others drew parallels to their experiences, such as waiting for theater events and facing unnecessary rudeness from staff: “Fans are treated even worse.”

So why have a public fan sign? Is it because they don’t have the money to rent a hall? The agency is ridiculous.

The logic behind labeling the event as “public” while creating such negative experiences was heavily questioned. “Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of having a fan sign event be public?” one user asked. “If it’s going to inconvenience and mistreat people, they might as well make it a private one.” This sentiment of disappointment was widespread among attendees and fans alike.

Such incidents have raised broader questions about event management practices within the K-pop industry, sparking conversations on how fan engagement events should be handled to protect and respect attendees.

Source: KpopStarz