K-Pop Fans Book Refundable Airline Tickets So They Can Mob Idols

I suspect I have a reader or two who may at some point in their life have booked a refundable airline ticket in order to get airside, in order to access a specific lounge, or something.

Well, whatever you did, it likely paled in comparison to what happened in Hong Kong over the weekend.

Three enthusiastic K-pop fans booked a ticket on a Korean Air flight from Hong Kong to Seoul Incheon that Korean pop band “Wanna One” was on. The band had performed in Hong Kong at the 2018 M-net Asian Music Awards the night before, so I guess it wasn’t too tough for them to figure out what flight they were on (it’s unknown whether the crazed fans had specific intel, or just guessed).

The three fans allegedly mobbed the musicians when they boarded, and ignored requests from the crew to sit down. They even apparently had posters of the band with them.

Once they were done mobbing the musicians they said they no longer wanted to fly to Incheon, and got off the plane and requested a refund (since they had fully refundable tickets).

One thing I didn’t realize is that Hong Kong’s aviation laws require that everyone deplane and be screened again when someone decides not to take a flight (that’s not the case in the US, as far as I know). So the flight ended up incurring a significant delay because of that.

(Tip of the hat to SINJim)

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Juliana Marie Guest

In the KPOP world that fans who mobbed Wanna One are called "sasaengs" meaning fans that go beyond the limit like stalking them.

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Credit Guest

@bruno: everything is an arrestable offence in Singapore. Sometimes they’ll jail you, other times you’ll be hanged or just spanked for being so naughty

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Zach Guest

I flew KE from ICN to SIN about 18 months ago in F. My wife and I were the only passengers in F, and the K-pop group BTS was in business (which we didn't figure out until after the fact). We were of course the first to deplane, and coming out of the jetway, and then all the way thruogh the arrivals hall/baggage claim, there were throngs of people hoping to catch sight of them. It was mostly entertaining - we got through everything without issue - but it was pretty funny to be the first off the plane and walk out into that.

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Mark Miller Guest

@Antonio. I guess every time someone sees a plane there should be a blog entry. What about every time someone uses the bathroom on a plane. It's aviation related!

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dave shen Guest

Interesting... I stayed at the Ritz Carlton hk this past weekend and saw signs for the MAMA. in the lobby. I might have even saw some of the kpop singers and just didnt know it... o well.

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