HEARTS2HEARTS Faces Another Backlash Over Bodyguard’s Aggressive Behavior at Airport

Rookie girl group HEARTS2HEARTS is once again under fire after a bodyguard allegedly used excessive force against a woman at Incheon International Airport, an incident which aired on JTBC’s Case Chief on June 10.

The broadcast featured viral footage showing the bodyguard shouting, “Don’t get on with us! Please step back!” before physically pulling a woman by the neck and shoving her. Shockingly, the guard even appeared to elbow her in the face during the altercation near a shuttle train platform.

The woman, visibly distressed, insisted she was also a passenger: “I also need to get on. I have a ticket.” The guard retorted aggressively, “So what? Why did you hit the member?”—a claim she denied, but he continued, “You did!”

Anchor Yang Won-bo criticized the escalation, stating, “The crowd seemed calm at first, but the guard’s reaction escalated so fast. This is a public train in a public airport—surely general passengers are allowed to ride too.”

Announcer Baek Da-hye clarified that the incident occurred inside Incheon Airport’s shuttle train zone, an area used by all travelers post-immigration.

The incident happened on June 8 as HEARTS2HEARTS departed for China. The footage has since triggered a fierce online debate. Some netizens slammed the bodyguard for treating a shared space like a private zone. One viral comment read, “Is being a celebrity a privilege? This seems more like assault than protection.”

Others, however, defended the guard, claiming the woman was a sasaeng (obsessive fan) who allegedly made physical contact with a member. Additional video later emerged, showing the woman seemingly bumping into a member while filming with a camera, leading some to argue the guard’s reaction was warranted.

This marks the second time HEARTS2HEARTS has faced such backlash. In March, the group was dubbed “길막돌” (“blocking idols”) after disrupting foot traffic at Gimpo Airport.

In response, SM Entertainment issued a statement:

“A sasaeng fan had been pushing and attempting to make physical contact with the members from the airport entrance. The bodyguard was trying to prevent this. However, we acknowledge the response was excessive and have lodged a complaint with the security company and the individual involved. We will work harder to maintain order during artist travel.”

Case Chief noted, however, that SM’s account regarding the fan’s behavior remains unverified. As public scrutiny grows, fans and observers await whether further actions will be taken to prevent future incidents.