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HYBE Labels under fire for alleged inappropriate body search conducted during fansign event

AKP STAFF
Posted by Jia-Lin Sunday, July 9, 2023

Controversy over inappropriate body search of fans during a fansign event held by HYBE Labels is creating buzz online.

On July 8, the Japanese boy group &TEAM, affiliated with HYBE Labels Japan, held a fansign event in South Korea. However, following the event, a participant took to an online community to share their unsettling experience during the event.

In a post titled "HYBE did an underwear search during fansign event" the author described how a staff member at the event conducted a body search that included searching their underwear. The staff justified their actions as precautionary measures to detect any hidden recording devices, such as smartwatches or electronic devices.

However, instead of conducting a routine body search, it was reported that the staff member touched the participant's chest and inquired about the presence of a watch. Subsequently, they were taken to a private area where they were asked to lift their clothing and have their underwear inspected. The participant expressed their profound embarrassment and a sense of having their human rights violated.

Since the post was published, it has gained significant attention, becoming a trending topic on Twitter in South Korea. As of now, HYBE Labels has not issued any response regarding this incident.

Edit: Weverse Shop, the organizer of this said fansign event, released a statement of apology. Read more here.

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    TheSquid
    TheSquid19,658 pts Sunday, July 9, 2023 2
    Sunday, July 9, 2023

    That's outrageous, perverts are allowed to do that to fans (who will be mostly minors) at a fan meet under the guise of security? That's not security, that's assault, they're fans, not criminals. Even the police don't have the right to do a full body search without cause, 'just in case'.

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    So what if they have recording devices, it's not the end of the world, and doesn't merit having that kind of humiliation inflicted on them. That can't be legal can it?

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    Sanakat
    Sanakat4,931 pts Sunday, July 9, 2023 6
    Sunday, July 9, 2023

    I wish they had shown more of the thread because what other girls are sharing about this very fan meet and this is just as insane all of them have a similar encounter. It makes me think he got the job simply just in order to fulfill this crime.

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