Incheon Airport Abandons Plans For Special Entrance For Celebrities

A few days after announcing their plan to open a private entrance for celebrities, Incheon International Airport has scrapped it due to public backlash.

In a press release distributed on October 27, the corporation stated that it would not proceed with the separate entrance procedures for celebrities after considering the “various opinions” raised in the state audit and media reports. The special entrances were supposed to be implemented on October 28.

Though the special entrance plan has been abandoned, the company added that it intends to implement alternative measures to ensure the safety of passengers and avoid dangerous situations due to heavy crowding, but only after gathering enough opinions and suggestions.

Previously, on October 22, Incheon International Airport sent a document to entertainment agencies informing them about the exclusive entrance for celebrities and urging them to use it instead of the public ones. Once this news got out, there was considerable public criticism as some saw it as preferential treatment for famous people.

During the comprehensive state audit at the National Assembly, the Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Committee also criticized this policy, arguing that it was unfair as most of the recipients of that document were large entertainment companies.

Though the airport argued that a separate entrance would ensure the safety of both regular passengers and celebrities using the airport, the controversy did not die down. An official from the corporation admitted that the public backlash made them reverse the decision.

Meanwhile, many international fans of Korean celebrities actually welcomed the idea, given the increased frequency of dangerous incidents involving overcrowding at airports in 2024. You can read more about it here.