Hats to Hearts Security Incident at Airport Sparks Controversy

A video showing a security guard for the rookie girl group Hats to Hearts (하츠투하츠) pushing and threatening a fan at the airport has gone viral online. In response, the agency, SM Entertainment, stated that the action was a necessary measure to deter a sasaeng fan. However, the fan involved, identified as A, expressed her frustration, claiming that the agency's statement was misleading.

On June 11, A took to her X (formerly Twitter) account to share her side of the story, stating, "I’m twenty years old. I may have made mistakes, but is it right to treat a twenty-year-old woman as if she were a criminal?" She further explained that while she had been advised to pursue legal action against the security personnel, she refrained from doing so to avoid causing trouble for the artists.

A expressed her distress over the situation, saying, "I can’t sleep well because I see so much negativity directed at me on my phone. Isn’t this enough?" She acknowledged her own faults but questioned the validity of the agency's official statement, which she felt contained false information. A admitted to feeling remorseful about the incident but criticized the excessive force used by the security guard, stating, "Is it acceptable to handle someone like an animal just because they bumped shoulders?"

Along with her post, A shared a photo of her bruised arm, revealing that she had sustained injuries including cervical and lumbar sprains, but decided against filing a lawsuit.

The incident occurred on June 9, when a member of Hats to Hearts and a female fan collided while using the shuttle train at Incheon International Airport. The security guard reportedly forcefully pushed the fan's neck while questioning her actions, to which she responded that she had a boarding pass.

Following the backlash, SM Entertainment addressed the issue on the program 'Incident Report' aired on June 10, explaining that the security guard's physical response was a reaction to repeated disruptive behavior from a sasaeng fan attempting to make contact with the members. The agency also stated that they had lodged a complaint regarding the excessive response from the security team and demanded measures to prevent future occurrences.