K-Pop Fans Call Out Hello82 For Alleged Illegal ATEEZ Fansign Event
Netizens are calling out K-Pop media company hello82 for allegedly illegal activity.
The hello82 shop’s social media account announced it would hold a fansign event with K-Pop boy group ATEEZ in Los Angeles. The entry period is August 7-10, and the fansigns will be held on August 15 and August 20.
📢 ATEEZ FANSIGN IN LA 📢
Entry Period
🗓 8/7 6PM PDT ~ 8/10 11:59PM PDT
Winners Announcement
🗓 8/11 6PM PDT🔗 8/15: https://t.co/PgST6BLujT
🔗 8/20: https://t.co/7GQuZxQ1HW@ATEEZofficial#ATEEZxhello82 #ATEEZ #hello82 pic.twitter.com/rbCXi5WfgN— hello82shop (@hello82shop) August 8, 2023
But some netizens argue that these fansign events are illegal. The ATEEZ fansigns are not open to the public. Only fifty ATINYz (ATEEZ fans) that won after entering the lottery by purchasing an ATEEZ album via hello82 will be admitted.
Netizens are claiming that this kind of event is illegal in the U.S. While it’s typical for Korean fansigns only to allow entry based on a lottery through album sales, it is not in the United States.
They CAN make it legal tho in the future by having a free method of entry and explaining how winners are selected in the rules
Everyone seems to be ignoring the part where I say exactly how this CAN become legal
This is how contests run by people like McDonald’s or Starbucks+
— Mel Targaryen (@MelTarg) August 10, 2023
If you read the AG FAQ you’ll see this as well
If you wanna call it a raffle or a lottery instead of a sweepstakes, the laws are all the same/similar
It’s illegal every way you try to frame it pic.twitter.com/TLfM1dWlvz
— Mel Targaryen (@MelTarg) August 10, 2023
well well well look who decided to run another illegal sweepstakes with no method of free entry!
atinys need to band together and file ftc complaints bc frankly it’s getting annoying that they’re getting away with this https://t.co/iXHOUyGCkY
— sam 👹 curly haired chan enthusiast (@samanthaistan) August 10, 2023
pretty sure hello82 isn’t a charitable organization, but what do I know! pic.twitter.com/PxyzAqLzgY
— sam 👹 curly haired chan enthusiast (@samanthaistan) August 10, 2023
In the U.S., there needs to be at least some sort of free entry method for the event to be held legally in the U.S. Still, hello82 has made the event like a Korean event, although it’s held in L.A.
This is not the first time netizens have expressed concern about hello82’s alleged illegal fansign events. Last year, some pointed out how it is problematic.
i saw a tiktok that reiterated what my dad has been saying for months lol but hello82’s fan signs for literally all of their events are illegal in the USA bc they require a purchase to enter which is illegal to do ✨ but kpop fans are desperate
— bailey 👹 (@virtlinsanity) November 13, 2022
HOLD ON… THE WAY THESE HELLO82 FANSIGNS IN THE US ARE BEING RUN ARE ILLEGAL? pic.twitter.com/JLD7hEzkyp
— jilly | IS SEEING ATEEZ (AGAIN)!!! (@shivermatz) November 13, 2022
Just a reminder that buying albums to enter fansigns/fancalls is completely legal in Korea but it is ILLEGAL to do so in the US so hello82’s New York fansigns were not only unfair but illegal
— noah 🖤 13EGIN (@redhydrangeas) December 1, 2022
K-Pop fans are especially concerned since their favorite groups, such as ATEEZ, are associated with the events.
