Blackpink's Jennie. [Yonhap]
Blackpink's Jennie. [Yonhap]

A popular YouTuber who filmed herself showing up unannounced at the agency of Blackpink member Jennie has apologized after facing a wave of online criticism.

The YouTuber known as "Potato Turtle" (real name Song Ji-yun), who has around 360,000 subscribers, posted an apology on her SNS on Monday, saying she was "sincerely sorry to everyone who felt uncomfortable because of the video I recently uploaded."

In the apology, she said she "did not realize that showing up at the company without notice and delivering a letter and bouquet of flowers could come across as sasaeng fan behavior," adding that she had been "too ignorant about idol fan culture" and would "act more carefully going forward."

The controversy erupted after she posted a video as part of her ongoing "100 Bucket List" series, in which she attempted to complete the goal of "having a cup of coffee with Jennie."

In the video, she traveled to Hannam-dong in Seoul's Yongsan-gu, where Jennie's agency is located, saying, "We have something in common — we're both from Yongsan. Opportunity comes to those who knock on the door." She was shown heading to the agency building carrying a letter, a bouquet of flowers and heart-shaped balloons.

She then rang the doorbell at the building's entrance to hand the items to an agency employee, and was later seen holding up a sign reading "Would you like to have a cup of coffee?" at a performance venue.

Once the video went public, however, criticism poured in from online communities.

Users criticized the YouTuber, saying "visiting someone's private space without a prior appointment is no different from stalking" and that her actions amounted to so-called "sasaeng fan" behavior that "threatens an artist's safety and privacy for the sake of views."

As the backlash spread, Potato Turtle made the video private and issued the apology.


yeonjoo7@heraldcorp.com