AESPA member Winter left South Korea yesterday under heavy police protection following an death threat posted online. She and her fellow AESPA group mates are scheduled to perform at the Outside Lands music festival in Los Angeles on Aug 11, 2023.
Dispatch reported that around 10 police officers accompanied the group as they flew out of Incheon Airport. Thanks to the heightened security, AESPA were able to board their plane without incident.
The tense situation began following a threatening post made on an online forum on Aug 8. A user reportedly posted that he would attack Winter as she was leaving, prompting several people to report it.
Her agency SM Entertainment also issued a statement, which read: “A threatening post against Winter’s safety was posted on a community platform yesterday. Upon confirmation, we filed a formal complaint against the poster with the police and requested prompt investigative cooperation.”
The agency added that they had been visited by the police, who confirmed the threat. As a result, they had beefed up the security surrounding the group as a result. They concluded: “We will continue to do our best to protect the safety of our artists.”
We hope that Winter and the rest of AESPA continue to remain safe, and that swift action is taken against the perpetrator.