IST Entertainment has issued a firm statement regarding repeated invasions of privacy targeting members of THE BOYZ, including incidents as severe as a sasaeng fan hiding in their dorm and a tracker being placed on a vehicle.

Privacy Breaches Against THE BOYZ

On November 14, the agency revealed that Sunwoo and a staff member were involved in an alarming incident where a sasaeng fan entered the group’s dorm without permission. In addition, the agency reported other serious violations of privacy, such as:

• Unauthorized visits to personal locations like the dorm, company building, and shops.
• Attendance at unofficial schedules.
• Taking unauthorized photos and videos at airports and even during flights.
• Following their vehicles and placing tracking devices.
• Spreading false rumors and illegally obtaining personal information.

These actions have caused “severe mental and material harm” to the group members, their families, and others around them.

IST Entertainment’s Official Statement

The agency released an official response on their X account, addressing these alarming incidents.

“Hello,
This is IST Entertainment.

First of all, we would like to thank the many fans who send continuous support and love to our artists.

Recently, there have been ongoing incidents involving behaviors that invade the privacy and threaten the safety of our artists, so we would like to inform you of our official stance on this matter.

Various actions, such as unauthorized visits to the artists’ private spaces like their dorms, visits to locations not open to the public, unauthorized attendance at private schedules, spreading malicious rumors, leaking personal information, taking photos and videos of members without permission, following them persistently, attempting to obtain personal information through illegal means, and trying to contact them without consent, have been continuously occurring. Such actions have been causing significant psychological distress to our artists, their families, and those around them.

In particular, on the 9th of this month, there was an incident where a fan followed a member and accessed his residence from the rear entrance, which is normally closed. The individual attempted to approach the artist by hiding in a non-public area of the residence. Our staff, sensing the artist’s discomfort, immediately reported the incident to security personnel and responded firmly. We are currently investigating this matter internally, and if similar behaviors continue, we will respond with strong legal actions.

The individual apologized on-site after meeting with our artist and staff, but we continue to prioritize the artist’s health and safety and are monitoring the situation closely, taking preventive and necessary measures.

Additionally, there have been recent incidents of unidentified cars parked near the artist’s vehicle, or even cases of scratches or intentional damages to the artist’s car. All these incidents have been confirmed, and we are currently in the process of cooperating with law enforcement to prevent further damages, including reviewing CCTV footage and additional evidence gathering.

These actions are seen as serious violations of privacy and are causing significant psychological harm to the artists. We intend to respond with strict legal action without leniency against any illegal actions that cross boundaries.

To protect the rights of our artists, we are currently gathering evidence and planning to take strong legal action, such as filing complaints if such behaviors continue. We once again request your cooperation in preventing further incidents.

Thank you.”

— IST Entertainment

Cooperation with Authorities

The agency confirmed its collaboration with law enforcement to investigate incidents of car tampering, including scratches and suspicious vehicles parked nearby.

“We are currently in the process of cooperating with law enforcement to prevent further damages, including reviewing CCTV footage and additional evidence gathering.”

IST Entertainment concluded by urging fans to respect the group’s privacy and warning of strong legal consequences for future violations.

Meanwhile, THE BOYZ recently made their comeback on October 28 with the track Trigger.

To know the latest updates about THE BOYZ, keep an eye on VvipTimes, and allow notifications from us to get instant updates on your device.