Fourth Generation K-Pop Boy Group Idol Is Being Criticized For Taking His Dog In Public Unleashed

It’s common these days for K-Pop idols to own a pet or to share photos of their family pets for fans to enjoy.

BTS’s V and his dog, Yeontan. (This photo has no relation to the accused idol in the article.) | *BIGHIT MUSIC*

Owning a pet, however, comes with a certain amount of responsibility for the animal’s care and well-being. One of the responsibilities includes ensuring minimal risk of harm to both the animal and others around it.

Recently, fans have criticized a certain fourth-generation K-Pop boy group idol for allegedly taking his dog out in public without a leash on. Though the dog is small and apparently quite old, there are concerns that it could still end up biting someone if it felt threatened or acted unpredictably or that the dog itself could be hurt.

The dog is Darong, owned by the family of THE BOYZ member Hyunjae.

Hyunjae has shared numerous photos of Darong apparently unleashed while out in public, and a post on an online Korean forum has shared the photos to draw awareness to what they see as an issue that should be fixed.

It’s true that even the most well-trained animals can still be unpredictable, especially when they feel scared or threatened. It is important for pets to be leashed in public to protect both them and the people or other animals around them.

In one instance in 2017, a dog owned by the family of Super Junior‘s Siwon bit a woman who later passed away due to septic shock.

On the forum post, netizens share strong opinions about why dogs should be kept on leashes in public.

However, there are some people coming to Hyunjae’s defense as well. They’re saying that since the dog belongs to Hyunjae’s family and not just him, he might not have even taken photos of Darong without a leash. And others suggest that even if they were, then a leash might have just been removed for the photos.