A fan of a Chinese boy band who threw herself at the group’s moving car has raised safety and privacy concerns. - Photo: SCMP composite/Sohu/Douyin
BEIJING: Social media in China has been shocked by an obsessive boy band fan who threw herself at their moving car, was knocked down, then rose to her feet and gave chase to the vehicle again.
The incident occurred on April 4 at Jiangxi Jingdezhen Airport in eastern China’s Jiangxi province, when the Chinese boy group Teens in Times (TNT) arrived to attend a variety show.
TNT is a seven-member group that debuted in November 2019 under the Beijing-based company Time Fengjun Entertainment, which also established China’s most popular boy band, TFBoys.
As the group’s car left the airport, a group of mostly female fans flocked to the car. The woman ran the fastest and reached the car first.
In a video clip filmed by an onlooker, people can be heard gasping in fear for her safety, but the woman brushed the incident off and continued with the chasing army of fans.
The hyped-up female fan is seen lunging at the band’s car before falling to the ground. - Photo: Handout
Her reaction sparked a heated discussion online. Many people disapproved of such so-called sasaeng fan behaviour.
The term “sasaeng fan”, from South Korea, describes an obsessive fan who stalks celebrities and invades their privacy.
The TNT group, which is hugely popular with young people, has 14 million followers on a social media platform. It was reported to have been disturbed by sasaeng fans many times.
The fans were reported to have chased the group members’ car and caused an accident, and sneaked into the group’s hotel room right after they checked out to steal used face masks from rubbish bins.
The boy band Teens in Times is hugely popular with young people in China. - Photo: Handout
Fans throwing themselves at the group’s car is even more common.
An entertainment influencer said some took up-close photos to sell to other fans, which had become a profitable business.
According to information shared by fans on social media, six close-up videos and some photos could sell for 800 yuan (US$110).
Scenes of fans running and circling the group’s cars were likened to zombie films.
The influencer pleaded with fans to meet their idols in “normal” ways and stop buying photos taken by sasaeng fans.
The boy group did not specifically respond to this case, but their social media account had called on fans to stop such sasaeng behaviour.
“It is dangerous and such a scary way to chase stars,” one online observer said.
“She even dressed up wearing a mini skirt, just to be knocked down by their car,” said another.
“Can they love themselves a bit more?” a third person added. - South China Morning Post
