Sasaeng fan
In South Korean culture, a sasaeng or sasaeng fan (Hangul: 사생팬) is an obsessive fan of a Korean idol, or other public figure, that has engaged in stalking or other questionable behaviour that constitutes an invasion of privacy.[1] The term sasaeng comes from the Korean words sa (Hangul: 사; Hanja: 私) meaning 'private' and saeng (Hangul: 생; Hanja: 生) meaning 'life', in reference to the fans' intrusion into the celebrities' private lives.[2][3]
Incidents
On March 8, 2012, boy group JYJ, who have faced particular targeting from sasaengs, held a press conference in Santiago, Chile, addressing controversy over audio files that were obtained in 2009, in which two members were heard swearing at and hitting fans who had followed them.[4][5][6] During the press conference, Yoochun stated that the group had been followed by sasaeng fans for eight years (since they were in previous group TVXQ), saying that "it felt like prison," while Junsu mentioned incidents where private phone calls had been tapped, GPS trackers had been placed on their cars, and fans broke into private property.[6] The members issued an apology for lashing out at the fans.
Elizabeth Soh of Yahoo! Singapore reported that according to managers, popular Korean stars may have "at least 100 full-time stalkers on their heels" at any time, with some fans hiring taxi drivers that cater specifically to those wanting to follow their idols.[7][8] Super Junior has also been targeted; during their Super Show 3 Tour in Singapore in 2011 it was reported that they were chased by eight fan vehicles, which eventually caused a traffic accident.[9][10]
Response
In February 2011, a new clause was reportedly added to South Korea's Minor Offenses Act, aiming to protect idols from overzealous fans.[11][12] This was revised in March 2013 so that a conviction of stalking would lead to a fine of KRW80,000 (USD$72).[13]
A new law introduced in February 2016 saw the penalty for stalking rise to around US$17,000 as well a possible two-year jail sentence.[14][15]
References
- ↑ "Sasaeng (Stalker) Fans that Touch, Spy, and Make K-Pop Idols Cry". KpopStarz. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ Lansky, Sam. "Hallyu Tsunami: The Unstoppable (and Terrifying) Rise of K-Pop Fandom". Grantland.com. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- ↑ "EDITORIAL: On Sasaeng Fans". SEOULRHYTHM. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Dispatch reports on JYJ members' acts of violence and cussing against saseng fans | allkpop.com". www.allkpop.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "JYJ and Sasaeng Fans: An Ugly Controversy". seoulbeats. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- 1 2 jbarky. "JYJ Opens Up About Verbally Abusing Fans". Soompi. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ Soh, Elizabeth (2012-08-02). "'Sasaeng Stalkers' (Part 1): K-pop fans turn to blood, poison for attention | Singapore Showbiz - Yahoo! Entertainment Singapore". Sg.entertainment.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ↑ The New Paper Tue, Mar 01, 2011 (2011-03-01). "Chasing Stars". News.asiaone.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ↑ "Korean boyband in 6-vehicle pile-up on ECP". Asiaone.com. 2011-01-31. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ↑ "Super Junior′s Heechul Rants about Sasaeng Fans and Corrupt Taxi Drivers Before Deactivating Twitter - MNET". Global.mnet.com. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ↑ Loo, Cindi. "K-Pop stars find the 'sasaeng' culture a worrying trend". www.theantdaily.com. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ Khairat, Sara. "Korean pop's giant leap with 'Gangnam' steps". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
- ↑ "Get tough on stalking". Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "'Sasaengs' or Stalkers Could Face Two Years In Prison And Heavy Fines Under A New Law In South Korea". koreaportal. 2016-02-06. Retrieved 2016-04-18.
- ↑ "Stalkers to face harsher punishment". koreatimes. Retrieved 2016-04-18.