On December 9, posts began circulating on X (formerly Twitter) and online communities, in which a netizen claimed to have been sexually harassed by a security staff member during Red Velvet Irene’s fan signing event.
User A shared the story on behalf of an acquaintance, B, who reportedly experienced the incident. Explaining their decision to bring the matter to light, A said: “I’m just a Red Velvet fan, and while I’ve faced dehumanizing treatment at fan events before, this incident was truly terrifying.”
A story, “They asked B to roll up their sleeves above their elbows and jump up and down (presumably to check for devices or recording equipment) and even asked permission to touch their body. Fans must follow the staff’s instructions otherwise they risk being expelled. How many could confidently say, “No, don’t touch me” in that situation?”
A further revealed, “At the ‘Cosmic’ fan signing event, a security staff member discreetly stared at the chest area, presumably to see if anything was hidden there. Even as a same-sex interaction, it was uncomfortable. Why is registration even prohibited? Fans have no intention of spreading harmful content; they often turn things around in a positive way.
Frustrated, A wrote, “If fans attending events are treated like criminals who might pull out a bomb to threaten members, then simply don’t get fan autographs. Fans endure not being able to have photo cards signed, take photos, record, go home before members, use the bathroom, or even look at their phones. But touching our bodies? This is sexual harassment,” tagging the official accounts of SM Entertainment and Red Velvet.
Another fan commented on the post, sharing a similar experience, “I was also touched under the armpits during a fan signing. I was wearing a padded jacket and they said, “I’m going to touch it briefly,” so I continued touching from my arms to my armpits and my hips.
The online community responded with outrage, “How do the fans see it?” “Why go this far when it’s not even free?”, “They should be reported to the Human Rights Commission to wake them up,” “This is more severe than airport security”, “When will this degrading treatment of fans end?”, AND “Fans are precious people too.”
This is not the first time such issues have surfaced. Last year, during a fan signing for HYBE’s group &TEAM, fans complained about invasive security checks, such as “underwear inspections” and “lifting clothes to check for devices.” This led to accusations of sexual harassment and public backlash. HYBE later apologized, promising to improve by using contactless safety measures and ensuring a better experience for fans.
Meanwhile, Irene recently released her first solo album, “Like A Flower”, on November 26, which was well received, surpassing 330,000 album sales in its first week.
Source: Daum
