Celebrities at airports: how much protection is too much?


People wait at the arrivals area of Incheon International Airport, Aug. 17, 2023. Yonhap

“An absolute mess,” is how Hwang, a woman in her 20s, described the scene when she saw K-pop boy band ENHYPEN arrive at Gimpo International Airport a few years ago.

“There were so many people that it was almost strange no one got hurt. I’m not even an ENHYPEN fan, nor was I part of that chaos, but just looking at that crowd made me feel suffocated,” she told The Korea Times.

It is no longer unusual to see large clusters of fans swarming around celebrities at airports — one of the most popular places in Korea for celebrity sightings. Attempting to get close to their 커뮤니티 favorite stars, these fans often wait at the airport for hours, even carrying around heavy cameras just for a brief encounter with their idols.

Unlike concerts or fan meetings, an airport encounter is free, with no need to engage in fierce ticket battles. It even offers closer interactions, allowing fans to capture up-close photos and videos.

“At first I wondered if they really needed to go to such lengths, but then I also thought about how much they must want to see their favorite idols up close. It’s a fairly rare opportunity to get to see and capture photos and videos of your favorite star in person,” Hwang added.


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