SM Group’s Bodyguard Under Fire For Use Of Excessive Force, Agency Issues Apology
SM Girl group Hearts2Hearts has once again found itself at the center of an excessive security controversy.
On June 8, Hearts2Hearts used the airport shuttle train at Incheon International Airport to depart for China. When a woman with a large camera (often referred to as a “cannon camera”) collided with one of the Hearts2Hearts members, a bodyguard forcefully pushed the woman by the neck, struck her face with his elbow, and shouted at her.
The incident was captured on video and quickly spread online, later being reported on JTBC’s “Incident Chief” on June 10. According to the report, the bodyguard yelled, “Are you crazy? Why are you hitting the members?” while the woman protested, saying, “I need to board too,” and “I have a boarding pass.” The argument reportedly continued inside the shuttle train.
“Incident Chief” also conveyed SM Entertainment’s official statement. The agency explained, “At the departure site, a so-called ‘sasaeng’ persistently pushed and made physical contact with the members from the airport entrance. The bodyguard applied physical force in the process of restraining this behavior.”
They added, “We have expressed our strong objection to the security company and personnel for the excessive response and have requested measures to prevent recurrence. We apologize for causing concern and will make greater efforts to maintain order during artists’ movements in public spaces.”
Meanwhile, Hearts2Hearts previously faced a similar controversy in March when departing through Gimpo International Airport. At the time, a chaotic scene unfolded as fans and bodyguards became entangled, causing congestion. A video of an airport user shouting profanities due to the inconvenience went viral, drawing further criticism.
Do you think the bodyguard used excessive force? Or was it justified?
Source: (A)
