KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — V from K-Pop boyband BTS recently opened up about the struggle of dealing with obsessive stalkers while traveling.
In a live broadcast on Naver’s V Live, the 23-year-old, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, said the Boy With Luv singers have to fly on private planes instead of commercial flights due to safety issues with ‘sasaeng’ fans.
Sasaeng is a South Korean term for an obsessive fan who stalks celebrities, with some willing to commit illegal acts in order to get closer to their favourite idols.
“We travel separately on a chartered plane.
“We also want to take a (regular) plane, but when we have long-distance or short-distance flights, some people find out in advance (which plane) we are taking and sit in the seats in front of us or next to us.
“In a situation like that, we can’t rest comfortably. It was very uncomfortable,” said V, based on translations by Korean pop culture website Soompi.
There are people who know where we sit (on the plane) and sit next to us or infront of us. In a private space like that, where we’re supposed to relax, it was very uncomfortable. I wish you wouldn’t do that, honestly. Yes, I’ll stop here @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/hjun8T0wj4
— SPOTLIGHT BTS (@SPOTLIGHTBTS) December 14, 2019
With a solemn expression, he described the experience as being “very scary” and hoped that people would stop trailing them on flights.
BTS’ worldwide popularity has only worsened their problems with stalkers, with V’s fellow member Jung-kook calling out sasaeng fans after receiving an unwanted call from one during a livestream.
jungkook received a call from a sasaeng in the middle of his vlive & admitted that he gets a lot of phone calls from “sasaeng FANS” but block them right away. this is the first time bts has ever called them out, i hope y’all know he hates your saesang ass pic.twitter.com/qKhwhtBOom
— 𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗸𝗼𝗼𝗸 🍎 (@jjk_widoww2) June 16, 2019
Sasaeng fans are infamous in K-pop culture for their disruptive and invasive behaviour, which often includes stalking, visiting the celebrity’s home, harassing the celebrity’s family members, and sending inappropriate gifts such as soiled lingerie or menstrual products.
