ENHYPEN Sunghoon and Jake were spotted together with a Japanese adult hostess, sparking controversy.
Here's the full story.
The two K-pop idols attended the Jewelry brand event for Tiffany&Co., where they stunned viewers with their elegant and cool visuals.
While ENGENEs were delighted to see them interact with other celebrities and fashion personalities, broadening their social circles, both Japanese and Korean fans weren't particularly impressed after seeing Jake and Sunghoon together with an adult entertainer.
Japanese ENGENEs Upset At ENHYPEN Sunghoon, Jake Posing With Hostess
According to the report of Segye Ilbo on the 15th, the girl in the controversial photo of Jake and Sunghoon is an A-list Japanese hostess, who also owns a cabaret club.
Based on the article, the photo was just a commemorative shot taken by the celebs, who were both invited to attend the Jewelry brand.
However, Japanese ENGENEs (ENHYPEN fandom) expressed their discomfort and embarrassment. They criticized the adult hostess who proudly stood shoulder to shoulder with global K-pop stars and questioned the members if they were even aware of who they were taking a photo with.
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Although Japanese hostesses and adult actors (AV) are often seen in public because they are invited to attend such events, this is a significant difference from the Koreans.
Even Japanese fans themselves think it's shameful for an adult entertainer to be associated with K-pop idols.
Some of the reported Japanese comments are translated below:
- “I don't think ENHYPEN knew who she is."
- "Even in Japan, being a bar hostess isn't a work that we encourage to people."
- "It's questionable that she was even invited to such an event."
- "Who uploaded this photo?"
- "What is HYBE doing?"
- "ENHYPEN should really be aware of who they are meeting."
HYBE Responds to Controversial Photo of ENHYPEN Jake, Sunghoon
When this issue spread in various media and online communities, agency HYBE explained the context of the photo.
"When attending brand events, we respond to requests to take a picture from other attendees other than the relevant person at the venue. Often, there are a lot of cases when the identity of the requester cannot be confirmed in advance."
The agency continued:
"ENHYPEN met Miss A for the first time at the event. She was also a guest from the event who had requested to take a photo at the venue, and we did not know her identity.
We would like to clarify that the photo was taken at the request of the attendee during the local event."
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Written by Eunice Dela Cruz
