Popular K-Pop stars Jennie from BLACKPINK and Jeonghan from SEVENTEEN recently faced concerning situations at Incheon Airport due to large crowds.
The incidents, which occurred on March 2nd and 4th respectively, involved both celebrities being surrounded by overwhelming crowds of fans and media upon their arrival at the airport for their flights to Paris Fashion Week.
Planned Meet-and-Greets Disrupted by Enthusiastic Crowds
Typically, when K-Pop idols attend events for fashion designers, they participate in a “photo wall” opportunity at the airport, where they stand briefly for photos in their designer outfits. However, due to the size and enthusiasm of the crowds, this was not possible for either Jennie or Jeonghan.
Jennie’s Encounter with Enthusiastic Fans
On March 2nd, Jennie was reportedly approaching the designated area for photos when the crowd surged forward. This unexpected movement forced Jennie and her security team to abandon the planned photo opportunity and proceed directly through the airport.
we were supposed to get a jennie airport photowall again after years.. so annoying pic.twitter.com/QdsUDlQinK
— 🥷🏼ྀིྀི (@blondjnk_) March 2, 2024
Similar Situation for Jeonghan
Jeonghan, from the boy group SEVENTEEN, faced a similar situation two days later on March 4th. As he prepared to pose for photos, the crowd again began pushing forward, prompting security to quickly escort him inside the airport. This incident was particularly concerning as Jeonghan is recovering from an injury and this was his first public appearance since taking a break.
when jeonghan arrived at the spot where he was supposed to do photo time, the situation got crazy, and jeonghan was surprised by that🥲 and the photo time was not done properly because the situation was not conducive pic.twitter.com/dvmMaMbzeW
— 하니행뵹 (@flamehanie) March 4, 2024
Concerns for Safety and Professionalism
Both situations caused significant concerns for the safety of the celebrities and the media personnel present. Videos circulating online show the intensity of the crowds pushing and shoving, causing distress and difficulty for the Korean media outlets who were trying to capture photos. The sounds of reporters’ frustration can also be heard in the videos as they were unable to fulfill their professional duties due to the overwhelming crowds.
#JENNIE for the photowall at ICN Airport was canceled because there were too many people. #JENNIExCHANELPFW#ParisFashionWeek @CHANEL @BLACKPINK
— BLΛCKPIИK GLOBAL FANBASE (@BLACKPINKGLOBAL) March 2, 2024
pic.twitter.com/MZGFsft8hV
Netizens Demand Change
Following these incidents, Korean netizens have expressed outrage online. While large crowds at airports are not uncommon, the intensity of the pushing and shoving witnessed in these cases is seen as unacceptable and disruptive to the scheduled activities of the celebrities.
Many netizens voiced their frustration that despite ongoing concerns about airport safety for idols, no effective measures seem to be in place to prevent such situations from happening again.
About BLACKPINK:
BLACKPINK is a globally renowned South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment in 2016. The group consists of members Jennie, Jisoo, Rosé, and Lisa. They are known for their catchy music, impressive dance routines, and stylish visuals.
About SEVENTEEN:
SEVENTEEN is a thirteen-member South Korean boy group formed by Pledis Entertainment in 2015. The group is known for their self-producing abilities, with members actively involved in the songwriting, choreography, and music production process.
