Amid the controversy over Ahn Yu-jin being sexually harassed, fans mentioned a similar issue happening to LE SSERAFIM
While taking photos together, Kim Jones put his hand on the waist of Ahn Yu-jin, who was wearing a tight dress to highlight her body lines. Videos capturing that moment spread widely in online communities, arousing heated debates.
The majority of netizens criticized the designer, saying “Why must he touch her like that?”, “Unnecessary physical contact can make others feel uncomfortable”, “Putting your hand on her waist like that is clear sexual harassment”, “He was so inconsiderate of Ahn Yu-jin”, etc. However, some claimed that netizens’ interpretation of the designer’s action was excessive, pointing out physical touch as a Western culture.
Not long ago, Taiwanese singer and actor Hwang Weijin also caused a stir due to his sexual harassment remarks towards LE SSERAFIM ahead of their performance on the Chinese program “Superstar Red & White Entertainment Awards”.
The remarks at that time were so serious that other cast members had to explain that Hwang Weijin just “made a slip of the tongue” to prevent the situation from getting worse. However, the scene was shared online, sparking criticism.
Moreover, Hwang Weijin should have been more cautious when making jokes about the girl group because the youngest member Hong Eun-chae is still a minor. Facing a backlash from fans and netizens, the actor eventually released an apology. Claiming that he had no intention of sexual harassment, Hwang Wijin said, “I made remarks that could cause misunderstandings”.
Due to this incident, Korean fans’ concern over K-pop female idols being sexually harassed by foreigners grew even more. The public has been voicing this issue since a long time ago, pointing out that idols often suffer unwanted physical touches and excessive remarks as they are defenseless in foreign countries. Therefore, they no longer take things lightly and start to demand strict responses to ensure the idols’ safety.
Source: Nate
