What do celebrities owe to fans anyways?
From dating scandals, vaping in public to teenage mistakes, idols can't seem to catch a break for simply living their lives
This past weekend was a whirlwind in the world of K-pop.
On Friday, Seunghan, who had been on hiatus from his band RIIZE for 10 months, announced he would be returning to the group. Fans across my social media feeds almost unanimously supported the decision, as many felt the 21-year-old’s absence was unfair.
Back in August 2023, photos and videos of Seunghan in high school were leaked. According to reports, the images showed the singer smoking a cigarette while in bed with a woman. As a result, some fans in his native South Korea found Seunghan’s behaviour inappropriate and demanded his removal from RIIZE. So in November 2023, RIIZE’s label SM Entertainment announced Seunghan would “halt activities indefinitely” to reflect on his behaviour.
For months after, Seunghan found a lot of supporters internationally, with many demanding his return to the group. #RIIZEis7 trended on social media, with many saying Seunghan shouldn’t be penalized for things he did in the past as a teenager.
So when SM Entertainment announced the news that Seunghan would return, many rejoiced. But a mere 48 hours later, Wizard Production—the SM division in charge of RIIZE—announced Seunghan would be permanently leaving the group.
The decision was made all the more devastating after images of funeral wreaths outside SM Entertainment headquarters spread online, calling for RIIZE to remain as six members.
In a letter to fans, Seunghan wrote about his decision to leave.
“After pondering deeply whether I’ve been thinking only of myself too much, whether I’m causing too much harm to the members and the company, and whether it’s really okay for me to be part of RIIZE, who should be loved, I only felt worried and apologetic,” he said.
“I don’t want to cause any more hurt or confusion for the fans, and I don’t want to harm the members any further, and I also don’t want to hurt the company any further.”
The pressure to do this all at 21-years-old is immense. But from a business point-of-view, it’s confusing and disappointing.
SM Entertainment really could have set a precedent for idols embroiled in scandals to come back, grow and actually move on with their lives and careers. Though failing to defend a performer further shows their lives are never truly theirs when in the spotlight.
(aespa’s Karina and Lee Jae-wook)
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the role extreme loyalty plays in fandoms, and at what point do they go too far.
In idol culture, developing parasocial relationships among fans and performers is key to success. Companies perpetuate the image that idols are only dedicated to their fans and no one else. Therefore, performers often have to adhere to no-dating policies early on in their careers and are expected to not drink and smoke in public. Anything remotely negative becomes reason for companies to worry that fans will turn against them and their idols. And as a result, idols are often expected to publicly apologize to repair their relationship with their supporters.
One such incident took place in March, after it was revealed that aespa’s Karina was dating actor Lee Jae-wook. The news was met with mixed responses. While many fans were supportive, a loud number of people also shamed Karina for her relationship, asking why the love of fans was not enough for her.
This backlash prompted Karina to write a handwritten apology to her fans on social media. And weeks later, it was reported that she and Lee Jae-wook had ended their relationship. To this day, I cannot help but wonder how much of their privacy was invaded, but I also question why fans feel entitled to an apology in the first place when it pertains to a celebrity’s personal life.
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And forget scandals…Idols can’t also catch a break when it comes to their day-to-day lives. Jennie from Blackpink was recently caught leaving a store in Paris as a group of fans waited for her outside. As she makes her way directly to a car, a fan is heard shouting at Jennie, “Do you hate us?” Visibly upset, Jennie only then goes to greet those waiting for her.
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Jennie opened up about the relationship she holds with her fans, and why they remain a top priority for her. In that same interview, she also explains why she apologized after being seen vaping in public. “I don’t want to lose their trust,” she said. “It is so important for me to have my culture, and everyone around the world, love me.”
But is the cost of fame worth all that scrutiny and rules that come with being an idol?
At the end of the day, I am not convinced that Seunghan’s situation will change the way K-pop companies operate and do business, considering that the industry remains built on the commodification of idols and the fans’ dedication. It suggests you’ll be fine, as long as you aren’t caught. Giving fans that much power to shame an idol for their actions is unhealthy at best.
As K-pop continues to aim for a global market, it has become clear that the values within Korean society and international audiences are clashing. Asian cultures are often more socially conservative, where celebrities are often seen as positive role models. While in North America, what sells a celebrity is their relatability and autonomy to be who they are.
If K-pop’s goal is to reach audiences outside of Korea, strict guidelines over what idols can say and do come across as disingenuous. It breaks the illusion of fan-idol relationships. And pandering to a vocal number of fans might actually cause more harm to bands in the long run, leading people to leave their love of K-pop behind when they see how easily idols can be punished for their actions.
It also hurts the cause of expanding K-pop when people see that their favourite celebrities aren’t allowed to simply live their lives.
In the case of RIIZE, many international fans have since taken to social media platforms like TikTok to express their disappointment. It also appears that people are also deciding to leave the fandom, with RIIZE’s X account losing more than 14,000 followers in a day.
Fandom can be a double-edged sword, but it’s heartening to see people around the world wielding their power to speak up for people who don’t always have the means to do it.
I will end by saying that this latest situation is not doing SM Entertainment any favours, following a string of negative press.
Taeil, a former member of NCT, is currently facing allegations for sexually assaulting a woman with two other men. If sentenced, he could up to seven years or more in prison. Stock shares have also plummeted after a number of complaints by artists within the company came out in the public. Most notably, members of EXO-CBX are currently in a legal battle with SM over the terms of their contracts.
I think the past year signals a reckoning within SM Entertainment and where its future lies. It’s clear the company is in a crisis. And if people aren’t getting the sense that their favourite idols can be protected, it might mean much more uncertainty down the road.
What I’ve been reading:
This New Yorker profile about HYBE CEO Bang Si-hyuk is a fascinating read on how he built his business from the ground up, his methodology around BTS’s success and his desire for digital expansion. What I found particularly interesting though, was how he seems sure he’s found a formula for successful K-pop groups. But in reality, what he might actually need to do is step back like the way he did for BTS.
Broke down some thoughts on TikTok:
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And see me elsewhere:
I was recently quoted about fandom for the music zine New Feeling. Ironically, I talk about the healthy things fandom brings like community and friendship. I know I just spent the majority of this post questioning how far parasocial relationships can go, but I do genuinely believe that being a fan can have many positives.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Accountability is important to me, so please address corrections and concerns by sending me an email at bunnipopnewsletter@gmail.com. Continue the conversation by following bunni pop on Instagram and Threads.
Wow, I didn't know about the recent developments of Seunghan. That's really really sad.
Preach!! I just scheduled a post on the same topic for Wednesday where I hit a lot of the same beats - totally agree with you and I'm just so sad for what Seunghan must be going through right now.