BigHit Security Under Fire For Sexual Harassment And Discrimination At BTS's Concerts

BigHit Entertainment is being criticized by Korean fans for supposedly harassing and discriminating against Koreans during BTS‘s concerts.

A Korean fan uploaded a post claiming that the security guards at the 2nd day concert in Hamilton, Canada sexually harassed a fan just because she was Korean. They had apparently pulled them out of line and forcefully checked their belongings to see if they were smuggling in a camera. The OP claimed that even when they clearly didn’t have any intension to film unauthorized contents, the security guards began hitting their chest with a flash light.

The post gained traction among the Korean community as more and more Korean fans began telling their own story of interactions with BigHit’s security teams.

입장할 때 카메라 걸려서 순순히 인정하고 보관함에 가방째로 맡기고 공연 보러 들어갔는데 나와서 확인해보니 카메라에 꽂아놨던 메모리카드가 없네요..? 맡겨놓은 가방에 멋대로 손은 왜 대시고 빈 메모리카드는 왜 가져가시나요..? 찍다 걸려서 뺏긴 건 말도 안합니다 @bts_bighit @BigHitEnt

— 태태랜드 (@TAETAELAND) September 23, 2018

“Upon entering, I voluntarily gave up my bag as a whole to the security lockers and went to watch the show. When I came out, I found that the memory card I had in my camera was gone..? Why did you dig through my bag without permission and take my empty memory card..? I couldn’t be saying anything if I was guilty of anything”

— @TAETAELAND

머리채도 잡아끌고? @BigHitEnt 치마들추고? 막대기로 가슴 치고? 가방 뒤지고? 비싼메카는가져가고? 화장실가서 만져보고? #빅히트_파워하우스_한혐 방탄콘서트가는 한국인은 인권이 없습니까?

— 히유(๑ơ ₃ ơ)💜 (@hihiyo_lalla) September 24, 2018

“Pull our hair? Search our skirts? Hit our chests with a stick? Search our bags? Take our expensive cameras? Touch us in the bathroom? #BigHit_PowerHouse_Draught Do Korean fans attending BTS concerts have no right?”

— @hihilyo_lalla

Something want to say about the concert and the security check which makes me feel really bad during these days pic.twitter.com/8MAde9yIz9

— Taeholic: 태홀릭 (@Taeholic_V) September 23, 2018

Many Korean fans claimed fault toward BigHit for their handle on security. They demanded that BigHit fix the alleged discrimination against Korean fans.

@BigHitEnt 지속적인 교육 한다더니 한국인 잡아다 괴롭히라고 교육하나요? 지속적인 관리, 엄중한 조치, 법적 조치 한다면서요 안 하는 것 같은뎅.. 한국팬 대상 과도한 조치 사실이 아니라면서요 이번에도 아니라고 우길건가요~~ 방탄처럼(ㅋㅋ) 모두 동등하게 본다면서요ㅠ#빅히트_파워하우스_한혐

— 응애 (@Eungae_bts) September 24, 2018

“@BigHitEnt You say you’re going to educate your staff, but are you educating them to pick our Koreans and torture them? You said you’ll make continuous management, rigorous action, and legal actions, but it doesn’t seem like it.. You said it’s not true that you’re discriminating against Koreans. Are you going to argue the same way this time too~~ You said you respect everyone like BTS does (ㅋㅋ)ㅠ”

— @Eungae_bts

ㅋㅋㅋ진차 환멸 애들아 방탄 서치좀해.. 빅히트가 하고있는게 정상범주인지 보라고 니네가 존나 신나할때 한국인이어서 존나 돈써서 간 공연도 맘편히 못보고 눈치보고 못들어가고 모욕당하고 가지가지인데 뭘 여행하다 오세요야ㅋㅋㅋㅋ 말만 사랑한다하지말고 팬사랑좀 실천해봐 @bts_twt

— 21🐰 (@p21_21q) September 24, 2018

“ㅋㅋㅋSeriously, you delirious kids need to search BTS… See for yourself if BigHit is committing a crime. While you guys are enjoying BTS, Korean fans can’t even watch the concert in peace, a concert that they spent so much money on, they can’t enter but instead by harassedㅋㅋㅋㅋ Don’t just say you love your fans. Show it”

— @p21_21q

방탄만 뼈갈면서 존나 열일하고 빅히트는 십이한남 종류 별로 수집해서 "한국"팬들 정병오게 하는 현실 실화냐고~~~~~~~ 막대기로 가슴은 왜 쳐 막대기로 불알 건드리면 방울뱀 마냥 발작할거 안 봐도 비디온데 한국인 여자한텐 왜 그러냐고~~~~~ ㄹㅇ 빠순이들 뒷목잡게하기 일인자 인정 따악딱 박아

— 웩 (@FuckU_exolfuck) September 24, 2018

“Is it f*cking true how BTS are working so hard while BigHit are harassing ‘Korean’fans~~~~~~~~ Why are you hitting peoples’ chests with sticks, it’s clearly certain that people will raise up in arms. Why are you doing that to girls~~~~~ You’re the best at making fans angry.”

— @FuckU_exolfuck

그니까아.. 슬프고 화나고 씁쓸해..
한국가수 콘서트를ㅋㅋㅋ.. 방탄좋아하는 우리가 을이고 죄인이어야하나봐🤔
나 그래서 일본친구없는날엔 가방없이 아미밤만 달랑 하나 가져가려구 헿…

— 명심 🐹 (@sevenbts0613) September 24, 2018

“This is why… I’m sad, mad, and upset.. It’s a Korean artists’ concertㅋㅋㅋ… I guess we’re the lowly criminals for loving BTS 🤔 That’s why whenever I don’t have my Japanese friends with me, I’m only going to take my ARMY Bomb and no bag….”

— @sevenbts0613

빅히트가 상황 인지하고 사실 관계 파악하는 것도 중요하지만, 방탄도 현실은 현실대로 알아야 한다고 생각함. 팬들이 오로지 본인들이 좋아서 보러온 공연장에서 어떤 대우를 받았는지, 그 이유가 오로지 한국인이라서였다는 거, 여자이기때문에 치마 속 까지 검사 맡아야만 했다는 거. 다 알아야 함

— 스팸 (@s_pam_) September 24, 2018

“It’s important for BigHit to acknowledge the problem and sort out the facts, but I think BTS also needs to know what’s really happening. They need to know how the fans who come to see them are treated at the concerts, that they only get discriminated because they’re Korean, that they have to get searched underneath their skirts because we’re girls. They need to know it all.”

— @s_pam_

On the other hand, many fans have brought to light the importance of security when it comes to such big concert events. They emphasized that it was better safe than sorry when it came down to the safety of the artists and the fans.

I used to complain about how intrusive/slow/ etc etc pat downs were & then attended a country music concert the weekend after las vegas last year. EVERYONE in line sincerely thanked their pat down security person. And I have said thank you everytime since. #bettersafethansorry

— Duck_in_a_line💜 (@duckinaline) September 23, 2018

A lot of the fansites did the same for the Japanese venues last year. But the reality is that they shouldn't be bringing the cameras in at the first place and then refuse to co-operate with staff. The stuff about searching seems fishy cause females are pat down by female gaurds.

— AsMadAsHatter💜 (@Going_Cray_Cray) September 23, 2018

Yeah you're gonna get frisked and full body checks because that's how security is. It's about BTS' safety. You can't even say you don't understand the rules when all of things are normal in USA. What you think is being molested is a standard pat down

— Flare💜💜 (@AngelFlare95) September 24, 2018

I'm not gonna get into the debate about whether it wrong or right about people at the concerts(mainly koreans) are getting pat down by security. I'm just gonna say at the end of the day do you value @BTS_twt safety more or videos and pictures more?

— 💜Girl Meets BTS💜 (@your_my_tear) September 23, 2018

The security team in charge of BTS’s concert at Hamilton responded to the accusations by clarifying that the pat downs are conducted by security officers of the same gender.