Published : Sept. 30, 2013 - 16:55
인기그룹 엑소의 사생팬 (사생활까지 따라다니는 극성팬)들이 멤버 백현의 친형의 결혼식까지 난입한 것으로 알려졌다.
지난 29일, 스스로 백현 친형의 지인이라고 밝힌 한 네티즌이 올린 글이 SNS와 온라인 커뮤니티에서 화제가 되었다. 이 네티즌은 당시 상황을 설명하며 “초반에 잠잠했던 결혼식이 엑소멤버들이 참석하고부터 난리가 났다”고 증언했다.
그는 엑소 멤버 세명이 축가를 부르기 시작하자 팬들이 몰려와 그사진을 찍거나 의자위에서 동영상을 찍었으며, 신랑신부의 행동에 아랑곳하지 않고 팬들이 소란을 피우면서 하객들을 방해했다고 증언했다.
당시 상황을 담은 사진에는 기자회견을 방불케 할 정도로 수많은 팬들과 카메라에 둘러싸인 엑소 멤버들의 모습이 담겨 있다. 심지어 한 여성 팬이 식이 진행되는 도중 캠코더를 들고 의자위에서 영상을 찍고 있는 모습이 인터넷에 올라와 누리꾼들을 분노케 했다.
이 네티즌의 증언에 따르면 엑소 멤버들이 “지금 이러지 말고 나중에 해주겠다”고 했는데도 팬들은 아랑곳하지 않고 사진을 찍고 사인을 요청했다고 한다.
인터넷에 공개된 다른 한 사진에는 얼굴이 빨갛게 상기된 채 표정이 굳어있는 백현의 모습이 찍혀 있다.
스스로를 백현의 사촌이라고 주장한 한 네티즌은 결혼식에 참가한 하객들 중 “반 이상이 엑소를 따라다니며 소리지르고 사진찍고 플래시까지 터뜨렸다”면서 이 사태에 대해 백현이 신부 대기실에서 계속 사죄했다고 전했다.
사생팬들의 도를 지나친 사생활 침범이 결국 결혼이라는 중대사까지 망치는 사태로 이어지자 네티즌들은 “엑소 백현 사생팬 때문에 멤버들이 가족들한테 얼마나 미안했을까,” “아무리 스타가 좋다지만 도를 지나쳤다”면서 비난의 목소리를 높이고 있다.
Singer’s obsessive fans wreck wedding, stir dispute
Diehard fans of a popular K-pop boy band Exo burst into the wedding of the brother of Exo member Baek Hyun and caused trouble at the ceremony, an anonymous witness claimed on Sunday.
According to the witness, who claimed to be a friend of the groom, said the fans started “making a fuss” once Exo members arrived.
“When the three Exo members stepped forward to sing a song, (the fans) all rushed toward them. They stood on chairs to shoot photos and videos,” said the witness in a posting that circulated online.
The witness added that while the couple cut the wedding cake up front, the fans all gathered at the back and blocked the path of other guests.
The photo revealed by the witness shows dozens of fans surrounding Exo members and hoisting cameras. Another photo uploaded on the Exo online fan page shows Baek Hyun’s reddened face.
Another online post by a person claiming to be Baek Hyun’s cousin claimed that about half the people at the wedding followed Exo members around, shouting and taking photos.
“The bride was shocked. Baek Hyun just repeatedly apologized to her in the waiting room,” the apparent cousin said.
Other witnesses at the wedding said the fans relentlessly approached the singers, even as they pleaded with them to stop and assured the fans they will sign autographs later.
The incident underscores the problems touched off by so-called “Sasaeng fans” of South Korean pop singers. Sasaeng fans -- a term combining Korean words Sasaenghwal (privacy) and fans -- refer to fans that follow their stars almost around the clock.
Some Sasaeng fans are known to grab taxis to stalk the stars’ cars, and the intense chase sometimes leads to traffic accidents.
Kim Hee-chul of boy band Super Junior once urged his Sasaeng fans not to follow him, saying that he was still suffering from aftermath of the car crash that took place when he was trying to flee from his fans.
More often than not, these fans take actions bordering on an actual crime. Earlier this year, members of boy band JYJ shared a story about fans who broke into their homes, photographed their belongings, and even attempted to kiss them while they were sleeping.
These hardcore fans are frowned upon by not only the general public, but also most other fans.
Exo fans, after the incident with the wedding of Baek Hyun’s brother came to light, berated the fans who barged into the ceremony. They also claimed that the fans who would go to such extreme measures are the minority, and most fans would never do such a thing.
By Yoon Min-sik
(
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)