In-person events such as concerts, fansigns, fan meetings, etc. are always popular because they are the only opportunity for fans to see and interact with their favorite idols up close.
However, one thing to note is that fans need to be aware of the limits that should not be crossed when attending these types of events, especially when the safety of artists is increasingly threatened. Fandom culture experts commented that the border between idols and fans is being blurred in some cases on this day.
Notably, during j-hope's concert series in Asia last month and earlier this month, he encountered many "uncomfortable" situations when interacting with fans. Most recently, on May 3, a VIP au∂ιєnce at a concert in Jakarta, Indonesia angered ARMYs for his excessive actions towards the BTS rapper.
Several videos circulating online show him being grabbed by a female fan in the VIP area multiple times. Notably, during the Equal Sign performance, j-hope approached the barrier to come near to his fans, he was seen struggling to remove his arm from a fan who was holding him.
A few minutes later, the fan even touched his face, which made the idol look visibly uncomfortable, but he remained calm and continued performing. The third time, while moving along the barrier to greet the fan, his arm was again grabbed, which is said to have caused a small scratch on the back of his hand.
The incident quickly attracted the attention of the global fan community and sparked a debate about behavior at live music events. Many expressed concern for j-hope's safety, especially since this was the third time in a row that he had encountered this unwanted situation in the past month of performances.
Fans expressed their anger on the viral videos on SNS:
- Please be respectful towards j-hope. This is his concert and he chooses things the way he likes. It is not okay to just grab his arm and force him into choosing you. Be respectful towards him. He is a human. Give him his deserved space. And let people have their moment
- He didn’t even look her in the eyes like he does with anybody else.. and the way he “jokingly” tried to shake her off…
- I'm really pissed about the situation where hobi got his arm grabbed THREE times.The first time he was confused because he was literally pinned down and had his hand grabbed, so he had to stay where he was
- It looks like he would've had to use quite a bit of force to pull away. Very unf**kingceptable
- This is so uncomfortable to watch, I can’t imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for hobi
- For sure reach out to him, but don’t pull on him please, it really appears his arm got pretty jarred there
- people like that are the reason why artists stop interacting with fans in the crowd
- he looks so uncomfortable throughout
- This young woman has pαѕѕed on to the “stalker” level of odd behavior. SK has a word they use for them, but I can’t think of it.
- When we see Hobi no longer giving hi-fives as he runs past barricade…..we all know why and we will RESPECT that decision because his safety comes first!
Meanwhile, ARMYs in Indonesia were quick to clarify that the person who acted inappropriately was not a local fan. They also called on the international community to avoid generalizing and blaming all fans in this country.
Previously, j-hope was also rudely touched by fans in נαραи and мєχι¢σ but always maintained a friendly and respectful attitude towards all au∂ιєnces. j-hope deserves respect and kind treatment in return instead of enduring such these situations.
Many fans also expressed concern that if these incidents continue to occur, it could cause artists and management companies to limit close interactions with au∂ιєnces in the future. But others also said that if fans do not maintain civilized behavior, the restriction is reasonable to ensure the safety of idols.
