Korean Fanship Phenomenea: Blessing or Curse

Celebrities have always had it hard when it comes to privacy. Some can explain this paparazzi-like mentality as when stars make it big they belong to the people. They become role models and idols for the many people who enjoy their talents. However, there is a line that can be crossed that is dangerous to both star and fan.

US national celebrities David Letterman, Madonna, and Naomi Judd have all had their houses broken into and their personal belongings taken. They have been annoyed by these over the top Fans who blind themselves from reality. Stalker laws have been put in place as well as paparazzi laws keeping people who step over the boundaries of privacy. Many of the celebs have and will take these types of fan to court and put them away. We in society see these fans as loners who are sick, they are twisted people who are probably mentally ill. The articles of them get tossed aside as they are shoe stealers, and crank callers. We ask ourselves whats the worst that can happen?

Well we know that Rebbeca Shaffer, John Lennon and Gianni Versace were killed by obessed fans but again these people were mentally ill, but what happens when these people aren’t loners but young girls.

Like in America, Korean stars have fan letters and fanclubs but it is more so accepted to be in a social sect of your favorite stars shadow. Asian fanclubs are social outlets for young girls who pay big money to get the first news about their favorite singer/actor. Fanclubs are not cheap either sometimes they have yearly or monthly fees and the turnout of celeb to fan merchandise is relatively small. Yet these girls are very happy to be in the center to prepackaged gossip by the many talent agencies these stars belong to.

The negative side is when these fangirls cannot break fantasy from reality. Their adolescent and sometimes adult emotions are so strong they trap themselves in a cycle believing everything they read. These Fangirls can and will make there celebrity target life hell or others who are close to them.

Should we worry when fans over react towards anyone with a negative opinion on their favourite celebrity to the point of throwing fist-e-cuffs or having verbal? Do we chalk it up to young girls being over emotional something they will grow out of as they gain more experience dealing with people?

In the Spring of 2007, 17 yr old, Lee Eun Ji took her life is because she was being bombarded with hate calls and harrassed at school by jealous fangirls who disliked that she took pictures with a “Kang In” a member of boyband Super Junior, when she had appeared on a televised talent show.

It was reported that her cell phone would ring non stop to the point where teachers would have to repramand her. EunJi who was on the talent show for loosing over 100 lbs in three months was reported to be a happy girl who was proud about herself loosing the weight. It was only natural she would take pictures with the shows hosts who are all famous people in korea.

In her suicide note she wrote “I’m sad to have been scolded. Father and mother, I’m sorry for having worried you. I’m sorry for having given you pain”

Her comments which led to the belief she was suffering from post weight loss depression began another backlash where Suju fans said the dead girl was blaming SuJu. The school declined to comment but her classmates said that the rumors, unkind behavior of her peers made lifeextremely hard for her at school.



More on SuperJunior (Suju): Suju fans have also been guilty of sending messages written in blood on used panties to member Leeteuk (eetuek). The bloody message "I'll do anything for you" said to have scared Eetuek from taking any more fan gifts.


LeeTuek (Eetuek)

Eetuek started his own contraversy and fan battle when he made up a story for a TV program where he said he tried to network figure skated star Kim Youhna on cyworld. He said she denied him friendship which made his fans flood her cyworld page with nasty messages. He apologized afterwards for the lies and said he was only trying to make TV interesting and he did not mean for that to happen.


Choi ShiWon

Choi ShiWon from Super Junior got a box full of sexual toys and a note that said "I want you".


More Fanship Fiendish behavior..


Pic of DBSK, Xiah ChangMin, YuChun Micky, JaeJoong Hero, Max amd U-Know

Taking a picture with your favorite celebrity should never be life threatening yet when a Fan took a picture with DongBangShinKi member U-know, where he kissed her hand, She was accosted by Jealous co-fans and she also had to be hospitalized for the attack.

The DBSK household, where the band would stay during work times, was broken into. Member Xiah had hurt his hand during the break-in when he fought off fans. In fact in the video Midoyeoh he is wearing a gloved hand.

Fans of DBSK have been reported to be extra foul mouthed. During an autograph event the separate que lines were verbally cussing one an other on who is the best. As some lines were longer and shorter security gaurds would add girls to lines they did not request therefore making more fans angry and having verbal vulgar disagreements.

Costars have been known to stay away when DBSK is making guest apperances on Variety/Gameshows due to these vulgar fans. The fans do not want any harm coming from the physical play between the celebrity contestants as they are competing, even if its all for fun.

DBSK Fans shouted vulgar slurs at a member of Wanted when his group member passed away in a car accident. Their reasoning was the accident where the person was killed was ton the same freeway that had a accident DBSK was in.

More rivalry of fans against fans is when DBSK and Fink.L Fans fought over Balloon colors. They actually through down fist-e-cuffs having hair and earrings ripped out.

Members Hero and Micky were followed by fans whom they tried to chase off and ended up crashing into a tree. They both had minor injuries but were not charged with speeding since it was sincerely a chase. The fans were also not charged since they fled the scene.

Fans are known to battle it out, disproving people who have fan photos with their favorite members. If someone has a photo or claim to any of the members they will go to great lenghts to disprove it. Spending time and energy to make sure the members are still pure and not dating anyone.

On a positive note Fans bought DBSK Member Xiahs a refrigerator once, and told his mom to feed him well which is nice but a very personal gift.



Other News on Fans taking it to far..



Park JunJin from Shinhwa was kidnapped. The girl who had taken advantage of a passedout/drunk junjin had taken photos of him naked with her and then used them to blackmail him. However Junjin went public sighting his own mistake on drinking therefore the blackmailer backed off.


Tony Ahn during his H.O.T membership had a fan grab his ear and rip his earing out.

It is said Michael Jackson wrote a song for one such fan girl. He sang it “Billie Jean is not my lover, she’s just a girl who claims that I am the one..” She inspired a worldwide hit song but who many people know the song is actually describing the antics of these fans that cross the line?

Nice to know deranged fans exist the world over. It often behooves me where racism and stereotypes come from. It seems no matter what aspect of culture - even the deranged world of psychopaths and anti-social behavior - we are more alike than different between cultures. Nice.

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read part 2 .. they get very crazy weird.