Winter's Instagram
Global fandom platforms helped K-Pop fans and artists get closer to each other. On the other hand, one problem that has continuously arisen is malicious comments from fans that hurt the mental health of artists. On January 8, aespaโs Winter became a target of hateful comments on HYBE's Weverse.
This article looks further into the world of cyberbullying in K-Pop and the history of destroying careers to such an extent that it has taken the lives of its artists. It also aims at finding out why online hate exists and how entertainment companies and the Korean government can try to find a solution. For hate, everybody is a potential victim, yet K-Pop idols, because they are in the public eye, are among the most common targets.
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Case Of aespaโs Winter and Cyberbullying on Weverse
Screenshot From Weverse
One recent example on Weverse, where Winter is bombarded with such messages, includes:
"Why aren't you dead yet?" - followed by cigarette emojis.
Winter then responded, "Smoking is bad for your health," followed by a heart emoji.
When the user insulted her appearance, calling her "dog-faced," she replied, "puppy-faced."
In the end, aespa's agency, SM Entertainment, announced that they would take legal action against malicious commenters.
This is not an isolated case on the platform. In January 2023, fromis_9's Lee ChaeYoung also received a number of hateful comments against her fellow member Baek JiHeon and her parents, during a live broadcast on Weverse. Oh My Girl's YooA also faced malicious remarks in interactions on the platform and responded to cyberbullies in sarcasm.
Weverse has
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