by A broadcast in the Philippines introduced K-Pop goods as high-end collectibles worth 1.2 million won, raising criticism that K-Pop fans could be exposed to intensive theft crimes.
According to the Philippine Inquirer and Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 8th (local time), on the 5th, KMJS, a weekly current affairs program in the Philippines, stole money from a grandmother to collect K-pop goods worth 2 million pesos (approximately 47.5 million won). She introduced the story of Miss A in her teens.
KMJS reported that Ms. A saved up her pocket money to collect various K-pop goods such as idol photo cards, albums, and cheering sticks, but when she ran out of money, she stole the money from her grandmother’s store to purchase the goods.
Then, while revealing A’s collection, she introduced that the price of a limited edition photo card of the idol group NCT is about 50,000 pesos (about 1.2 million won).
In response, local K-pop fans in the Philippines accused the broadcaster of exposing fans to the risk of theft by introducing the price of merchandise at an excessively high price.
Immediately after the broadcast, several testimonies of stolen K-pop goods appeared on social media, such as Twitter. A K-pop fan claimed that a man stole a photo card of Jimin, a member of BTS, which he wore in his bag on the bus.
One fan said on Twitter, “Did you have to reveal the price?
Some users pointed out, “Not all K-pop goods are that expensive” and “As it is broadcast with a great influence, the production team should have broadcast it more carefully.” It was also criticized for being irresponsible and sensational reporting.
In response, the KMJS production team released a statement on the 7th, saying, “We do not intend to harm or threaten anyone or cause division among the public,” adding that the broadcast served as a “lesson and warning” to viewers.
Meanwhile, recently in the Philippines, a K-pop idol group’s award ceremony trophy, which debuted in 2012 and gained popularity, became a hot topic as it was traded second-hand at a low price of 4,000 won. It was revealed that the trophy was disposed of at a second-hand store during the cleanup process when the group’s former agency went out of business in 2021.
