Screenshots of Korean men harassing Red Velvet on Lysn Bubble have been making rounds on Korean and international sites. Bubble is a messaging application that SM Entertainment idols use to communicate with their fans.
One of the screenshots shows a conversation between Irene and the original poster. It reads:
Irene: I want to eat something refreshing
Irene: It's so hot
OP: If it's hot, take it off.
OP: Send me a selfie of you without clothes.
As seen above, the OP is seen sexually harassing Irene, trying to get her to take nude photos of herself to send to him. There are more instances of men sending the Red Velvet members inappropriate messages.
Another exchange was with Seulgi. It is unknown if the screenshot came from the same man who messaged Irene or someone else. It reads:
Seulgi: Hello, hello!
OP: Hi.
Seulgi: You guys probably heard the news ㅠ We had to delay the album a bit.
OP: ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
Seulgi: You probably looked forward to it a lot ㅠㅠ Our Reveluv
OP: I'm so pissed because my stock fell too ㅠㅠ
Seulgi: But it will be better now, so don't worry!
OP: Stop making excuses. You are just scared of Queen IZ*ONE, so you're postponing the album.
While this is not a form of sexual harassment, they are comparing Red Velvet to another idol group despite it not being mentioned in their previous exchanges, which is downright disrespectful.
Another poster shared his convo with Seulgi, which is believed to come from a different person. It reads:
Seulgi: Tonight, I will sleep in a good mood. Good night ~~
OP: Seulgi is so funny! Hilarious.
OP: Show us a selfie, Seulgi.
OP: I'm threatening you.
The poster is seen from being very nice to be very disrespectful, becoming aggressive in asking Seulgi for a photo of herself. He not only commands her; he threatens her to do it.
Lastly, another exchange between Irene and an unknown man were posted. The conversation went:
Irene: [sends a photo of flowers]
Irene: [sticker]
Irene: Isn't it pretty?
OP: Noona, aren't you past the age of receiving flowers?
OP: Just kidding ~
Irene is known to be older than the other Red Velvet members, but many still found it disrespectful that these men would leave comments like this. Many pointed out how it is rude to mock a person's age.
Numerous netizens came to defend Red Velvet, showing anger and disappointment to these rude commenters. Many wondered how they could even send those messages, and even screen-captured and released them online for others to see.
"Ha... Please, just die... I'm threatening you," said one netizen.
People were upset with the sexual harassment against Irene. Some K-netz added that there are still some people who think they can get away with such ill-natured deed if they say they are joking, but it's a serious issue that deserves jail time.
Online users also mentioned that they think, making these types of comments is humorous, but were enraged when Irene said she was reading "Kim Ji-Young, Born in 1982," a feminist book.
SM Entertainment has not released a statement on the released screenshots.
Red Velvet debuted as four members in 2014 with the song "Happiness." A year later, the group announced an additional member, Yeri, and they continue to promote as five members onwards.
In April 2020, it was announced that Irene and Seulgi will be the group's first sub-unit. While the duo was supposed to debut with their first mini-album, "MONSTER," back on June 15, it has been postponed to July to polish the album more.
