“Sasaeng Fans” Show Up To Ruin ONF’s Comeback Showcase — Agency Apologizes For The Mess
On August 10, boy group ONF held their comeback showcase via live broadcast. Shortly after the event, the group’s agency WM Entertainment shared an alarming announcement…
… stating that the staff had to deal with uninvited “fans” on site. WM Entertainment claimed they had “violations” of the “fan club etiquette” — which outlined that the showcase is to be held without a live audience.Hello, this is WM Entertainment. Despite the recent upload of the “Fan Club Etiquette” announcement, which explained that the schedules are closed to public and are no-audience only, we had to deal with violations at today (August 10, Monday)’s “VLIVE ONF [Spin-Off] Comeback Showcase”.
— WM Entertainment
According to the announcement, these “fans” — allegedly sasaengs, by their behavior — snuck into the venue and “created difficulties in a smooth run of the showcase.”
We found some fans entering the venue and the stand-by areas without permission. They also video-graphed the rehearsal and the actual showcase against the rules. They got their hands on exclusive documents, they ate the staff’s and artists’ catered food, and they clashed with the security after being found hiding in the bathroom. All of this has created difficulties in a smooth run of the showcase. Specifically, they inconvenienced the artists by occupying the stand-by area where the artists are supposed to prepare their performances and causing interruptions in the artists’ routines.
— WM Entertainment
Ultimately, WM Entertainment apologized for having been unable to prevent such “fans” from causing trouble. The agency said that the “face masks required to enter the venue” to fight the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) made it difficult to identify the non-staff from having access inside.
As per the venue’s COVID-19 policy, all staff remained wearing face makes — thus making it difficult to identify and stop the fans from entering. We apologize for the situation. We will strive to provide tightened security and make sure this does not happen again.
— WM Entertainment
Upon the agency’s apologetic announcement, ONF fans pointed out that “Such sasaeng fans are not fans at all — but criminals that need to be taken to court for their problematic actions.”