NCT’s Renjun recently found himself at the centre of a controversy after revealing a phone number on his Dear. U Bubble platform, believing it belonged to a Sasaeng fan. However, the number owner claimed it was a mistake. They had dialled Renjun’s number, mistaking it for a friend’s. The individual insisted they only called once and were immediately put on blast by the star.
Fallout and Public Apology
As a result, Renjun’s fans bombarded the number with hate messages and profanities. This prompted the number’s owner to file a police report. This led to SM Entertainment issuing a public apology on June 20 via a press statement.
“Hello, this is SM Entertainment. On June 20, Renjun exposed a phone number that had called him on a messaging app after he perceived the caller as a sasaeng. We apologize for the fact that he exposed the number on a public platform and the harm it caused the caller. After we were alerted that the victim had gone to the police, we spoke with the head investigator, who shared with us what the caller had gone through. We sent our apologies to the investigator and deleted the message at the center of this incident. We will do our best to minimize the damage to the victim, and we ask that you no longer call the person. Renjun is currently reflecting on his foolish actions, and we also ask forgiveness for our lack of care for our artists. Again, we apologize to the victim and to the many fans who were alarmed by this incident.” — SM Entertainment
The Victim’s Perspective
The owner of the phone number, who had initially reached out to the police, posted a full statement online. They explained that the call was a mistake and not intentional, emphasizing their frustration over the verbal abuse they received and the need to change their phone number.
“I have received a massive amount of verbal abuse and had to change my phone number all because I made a mistake calling the wrong number. I am requesting a proper explanation from SM.” — Alleged Victim
The alleged victim recounted their version of the events, stating, “To explain in short, I use an iPhone and I searched for Friend A through my contacts and not using the keypad. I called the number saved with Friend A’s name but that happened to be Renjun. I don’t know why Renjun’s number was saved under my friend’s name. After I heard him say, ‘I will report you’, I was taken aback. I even thought maybe my friend’s dad was joking around with me….”
Criticism of SM Entertainment’s Apology
The alleged victim later criticized SM Entertainment for what they perceived as an insincere apology. They lamented that the company apologized through a news article rather than directly contacting them.
“Are apologies originally made through an article rather than by contacting someone? Their legal team said that they wanted to contact me about an apology. That was what they told me through the investigative staff around 8 to 9pm yesterday. I even gave them my number, but I still have not received any contact from them.” — Alleged Victim
The incident has caused a massive divide among fans. Renjun’s leaked phone number sparks outrage online. International fans, convinced the culprit is a Sasaeng fan, are fuming and seeking revenge.
Korean netizens counter the outrage. They believe the number owner is a victim of mistaken identity and criticize international fans for their harsh treatment. Some even criticize Renjun for carelessness.
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