How jealous K-pop super fans try to dictate their idols' private lives
By Jake Kwon & Kelly Ng
When K-pop star Karina posted
“I sincerely apologise for surprising my fans who have supported me,” the frontwoman of the girl group aespa wrote.
Her offence?
Publicly acknowledging that she was in a relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook.
That Karina felt compelled to say sorry for being in a relationship has puzzled many outside the K-pop scene, but it opens a window into the world of the industry’s “super fans”.
They stream their favourite stars’ music round the clock – even if on mute while sleeping – to boost chart rankings, organise mass voting sessions during award seasons, and sometimes even sponsor digital billboard ads in places like Times Square, New York.
When news of Karina’s relationship broke, some fans drove a truck to her management agency.
