Ive's Jang Wonyoung Faces Controversy Over Mourning Request for Young Fan

The father of 8-year-old Kim Ha-neul, who tragically lost her life due to a stabbing incident involving a teacher in Daejeon, has publicly requested that Jang Wonyoung of the girl group IVE pay her respects. He revealed that his daughter was a devoted fan of Wonyoung, expressing, "Ha-neul had asked me to send her to an IVE concert in Daejeon, and I promised her I would. Wonyoung was her dream. If possible, could you come to see Ha-neul?"

Following this request, Wonyoung's social media accounts have been flooded with comments urging her to offer condolences, with messages like, "Please say a word of encouragement for Daejeon Ha-neul" and "Please attend the funeral of this innocent angel who was brutally taken from us."

However, there has been backlash against the request, with some netizens arguing that it is inappropriate to pressure a celebrity into attending a funeral, stating, "Don’t force a condolence visit" and "Sending a wreath should be enough."

In response to the situation, IVE's agency, Starship Entertainment, sent a wreath with the message, "Singer IVE. We offer our condolences to the deceased," along with a photo card that Kim Ha-neul cherished.

The father also called for political attention to prevent future tragedies, urging representatives from both parties to visit the funeral home and listen to his story. He emphasized the need for mental health support for teachers and the establishment of a law, informally referred to as the 'Ha-neul Law,' to ensure the safety of younger students.

In light of this, Kwon Young-se, the chairman of the People Power Party, and Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, have decided to visit the funeral home at Konyang University Hospital in Daejeon. Kwon even canceled his scheduled appointments for the day. The exact time of their visit has not been disclosed.

Kim Ha-neul was fatally stabbed on February 10 by a female teacher in her 40s, who had been suffering from depression. The teacher confessed to the crime, stating that she had been receiving treatment for depression since 2018 and had returned to work early. During police questioning, she revealed that she lured the last student leaving the classroom to the audiovisual room under the pretense of giving them a book before committing the act.