Singer and actor T.O.P and his girlfriend, actor Nana. [Herald Muse]
Singer and actor T.O.P and his girlfriend, actor Nana. [Herald Muse]

The agency of singer and actor T.O.P, a former member of K-pop group Big Bang, has apologized to fans after a fandom that had supported him for two decades announced it was shutting down its fan site.

T.O.P's agency, Topspot Pictures, said Saturday it was "taking seriously the opinions fans have shared recently" and offered a "deep apology for failing to sufficiently deliver news of his activities and communicate with fans who have waited, and for the disappointment and frustration that caused."

The agency then promised to "listen more closely to the feedback being sent and reflect it actively," adding that it would "review its communication methods with fans and announce improvement measures through official channels as soon as they are in place."

The apology came less than a day after Choidot (CHOIDOT), a fan site that had stood by T.O.P since his debut, announced Friday it was ceasing operations.

Active since 2006, Choidot is one of the most prominent fan sites dedicated to T.O.P — whose full name is Choi Seung-hyun — and said Friday it could "no longer overlook T.O.P and his agency's disregard for reality, their refusal to communicate, and their attitude of taking fans' dedication for granted."

The site said that while T.O.P had promoted an album as being "for the fans," the performances and direct engagement fans had been waiting for never materialized. It also said the agency had relied on the fan site's voluntary efforts not only for album promotion but also for the day-to-day work of fan communication and support.

The site published email exchanges with the agency, arguing that the agency had failed to set up even basic communication channels — such as an official inquiry window or email address — leaving the fan site to field inquiries from overseas fans as well.

Problems also arose when a fan exhibition was canceled.

The fan site had organized an exhibition for about 300 people, but lower-than-expected participation left organizers facing mounting costs, and the event was ultimately called off. The cancellation coincided with news of T.O.P's relationship with actor Nana — born Im Jin-ah, 35, a former member of girl group After School — prompting speculation that fans had left in anger over the romance.

The fan site rebuffed that interpretation, saying it had known about the relationship beforehand but had chosen not to address it publicly out of respect for the artist's privacy. It said reading the exhibition's cancellation as a fan exodus driven by the romance distorted the real issue.

"The agency's response placed more weight on the fact that we disclosed the reservation figures than on the substance of the problem," Choidot said. "Fans' love and support are not something to be used when convenient and ignored when inconvenient."

Meanwhile, T.O.P and Nana confirmed their relationship through their respective agencies on Sunday. Both sides said they met while filming a music video and began dating around June. The disclosure has since triggered a backlash, including the fan site closure, amid long-running grievances over the agency's communication failures.


betterj@heraldcorp.com