A disturbing allegation of sexual harassment has been made in connection with a fan signing event for Irene, a member of the popular K-pop group Red Velvet, who recently released her debut solo album.
On Monday, a fan shared their experience on X (formerly Twitter), claiming a security guard sexually harassed her during the fan signing event on Saturday.
The fan recounted the incident to an acquaintance: “The security guard asked me to raise my sleeves above my elbows and jump to check for any devices on my body. Then he asked if it was okay to touch my chest.”
She explained that they were told, “If I refuse, I could be asked to leave,” adding, “I was scared it could happen again.”
The situation escalated when the fan said the security guard “tapped my chest with the back of his hand, right above my underwear.” The fan continued, “As a fan, you’re expected to follow staff instructions without question, and if you refuse, you could be told to leave. How many fans would feel comfortable saying, ‘Don’t touch me’ in that situation?”
She clarified that the guard didn’t directly touch her chest but did touch the area just below her collarbone and above her underwear. She expressed confusion about why such invasive measures were necessary at a fan signing event, where the intention is typically just to meet and chat with a celebrity.
The story gained more attention when another fan who attended the same event shared a similar experience. “I was also touched under my armpit,” the second fan explained in the comments. “I was wearing a padded jacket, and the staff member said, ‘Let me just touch you for a moment,’ before touching my arm, then my armpit, and even the side of my torso.” This account has further fueled the controversy surrounding the event.
In addition, the fan who just shared her experience on X also shared that they experienced a similar incident at a previous Red Velvet fan signing event for the group’s “Cosmic.” The fan recalled, “A security guard kept staring at my chest as if trying to see if I was hiding something there.” They described feeling uncomfortable, even though the guard was the same gender.
“What terrifies me the most is that this could happen again,” the fan said. “As a fan, I feel like I must stay silent while my body is touched. If fans are treated like criminals, as though we’re hiding dangerous items, then maybe these fan signing events shouldn’t even be held.”
Irene, who released her first solo album, Like A Flower, on November 26, has been making waves in the music industry with the success of her debut. The album has already surpassed 330,000 copies in first-week sales.
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