Sasaengs

K-pop fans are known for their loyalty. Whether they show that by only listening to a certain K-pop group, buying lightsticks for concerts, or spending hundreds of dollars on albums and photocards, something that is a hallmark of K-pop fans. The dedication of K-pop fans has helped K-pop become what it is today.

Economically, K-pop fans have contributed billions of dollars to South Korea’s economy, with BTS alone raking in an estimated amount of 5 billion dollars a year to South Korea’s economy. This has even caused the South Korean government to consider letting BTS off on the mandatory military requirement that most able-bodied men in South Korea have to perform 18-21 months of military service.

But other than spending lots of money on K-pop, some fans take their love for K-pop to a new extreme. “Sasaeng” is a Korean term that describes obsessive and intrusive fans. Unfortunately, fans hear about sasaengs often. These fans stalk their favorite K-pop idols, often finding out private information about them, including their phone numbers, passports, and addresses. 

The most disturbing part of sasaengs is how K-pop idols react to them. There are clips of idols looking extremely uncomfortable when they notice an infamous sasaeng in the crowd of a fan meet, at an airport, a concert, pretty much wherever the idol is, the sasaeng is also there. But, unless there is a real warrant for arrest or punishment, sasaengs are hard to keep away. So, these idols just have to look scared and helpless as their privacy is being invaded so publicly.