NCT member Huang Renjun, a popular boy band in South Korea, recently revealed that he has been harassed by “sasaeng fans” (fans who excessively invade the privacy of celebrities) for a long time and publicly shared someone’s phone number. However, the person whose phone number was disclosed stated that they were misunderstood. In response, both SM Entertainment and Renjun apologized to the parties involved on the 21st.
Renjun posted a lengthy message on the bubble platform on the 11th of this month, stating that he has been struggling with panic disorder and depression, leading him to temporarily suspend his entertainment activities. Despite his break, his private schedule was still being followed by sasaeng fans and he continued to receive numerous unknown calls. To address this, he directly shared the phone number of the stranger who called him that day on bubble.
The individual, referred to as A in the publicized phone call, posted on social media stating that they are not a sasaeng fan and had accidentally dialed the wrong number while calling a friend. However, following the mistaken call, A received calls from unknown individuals and received abusive messages. Only after checking the contents of the messages did A realize they were wrongly identified as a sasaeng fan and their phone number was made public. A accepted the suggestion from the telecommunications company to visit the police station for resolution.
Subsequently, the authorities verified A’s call logs and contacted SM Entertainment but were unsuccessful. They then attempted to reach Renjun through A’s phone once more, but Renjun did not answer. After leaving a message for Renjun, his manager returned the call, learning about the situation from the police. The manager then apologized to A on behalf of Renjun.
In a post clarifying the matter on social media, A acknowledged their mistake in dialing the wrong number but emphasized that Renjun should not have publicly disclosed a regular individual’s phone number, leading to continuous criticism from fans and the necessity to change their phone number. A further requested a personal apology from Renjun for the incident.
SM Entertainment stated on the 21st that following notification from the police station, they expressed their apologies to the victim and removed the phone number Renjun had shared on bubble. The company pledged to prevent further harm to the victim and urged everyone to refrain from contacting them.
Moreover, SM Entertainment mentioned that Renjun deeply reflected on his reckless behavior. The company also apologized for inadequacies in artist management that caused concerns for many individuals, including the victim whose phone number was disclosed.
Later in the day, Renjun posted on his personal Instagram account, expressing remorse to those affected by his impulsive actions. He stated, “I have always aimed to bring positive energy to everyone through music and performances, but due to a momentary lapse in judgment, I made a wrong choice. I sincerely apologize to those who have been hurt by my actions.”
He continued, “Due to my impulsive actions, the victims are suffering. Please refrain from contacting the victims. I deeply reflect on my actions and will be more mindful not to repeat such impulsive behavior in the future. Once again, I apologize to all those who have been hurt because of me.”