From admiration to obsession: The dark side of K-pop fandoms


Sasaeng fans followed Jaejoong everywhere and even waited for him at home. Photo: Kim JaeJoong/Instagram

Fans’ parasocial relationships with their favourite K-pop idols can take a dark turn and result in dangerous and disturbing incidents.

There have been reports of multiple cases involving idols being victims of stalking, harassment and even break-ins, which are carried out by sasaengs – a South Korean term for overly obsessive fans who engage in behaviours that invade celebrities’ privacy.

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