HYBE Apologizes Regarding Allegations of Sexual Harassment at &TEAM Fan Signing Event

Liputan6.com, Jakarta There was an unpleasant incident at the event boy group fan signing &TEAM which was held by HYBE Labels Japan. Through the #underwearsearch hashtag, fans have been throwing complaints on social media about security checks.

According to those who attended the event, &TEAM staff touched fans’ chest areas and checked their underwear for hidden electronic devices such as Apple Watches. In the process, some fans claimed that they had been sexually assaulted.

Quoted from Soompione wrote, “They touch us to check (the whereabouts of) Apple Watches or electronic devices to prevent us from recording (events), but it’s not only on the level skimminginstead, they touch us here and there and stab us, and that is sexual harassment.”

There are also other fans testifying that an officer touched his private area. To make sure that there was no tape recorder, the officers took him to a small area and asked him to remove his clothes.

“They pressed me so aggressively that I had no choice but to take my clothes off, but then someone else opened the door, came in, and saw my underwear being checked. I felt so embarrassed,” she explained.