Chinese idol group Teens In Times (TNT), consisting of members Ding Chengxin, Ma Jiaqi, Zhang Zhenyuan, Song Yaxuan, He Junlin, Yan Haoxiang, and Liu Yaowen, has been enjoying success and massive popularity since their debut in 2019.
Unfortunately, it comes with a price — the emergence of sasaeng fans.
Sasaeng fans is a term popularised in K-pop culture, referring to obsessed individuals who invade the privacy of their idols by ways of stalking.
Two of TNT’s members, Song Yaxuan, 20, and Liu Yaowen, 18, were in a company car earlier this week when they were tailed by fans in an eight-seater car.
It resulted in a horrible collision, with the eight-seater rear-ending TNT’s car.
The band’s agency, Time Fengjun Entertainment, has since released a statement addressing the incident. They assured fans that both Yaxuan and Yaowen were unharmed, and had arrived at their hotel safely.
“Everyone is safe. We’ve made certain that none of our artistes are injured, and there is no issue,” they wrote, promising to keep a close eye on the boys.
Fans have urged the agency to take the idols to the hospital for a thorough check-up, and to take action against those who caused the accident.
Time Fengjun Entertainment have reportedly made a police report against the sasaeng fans.
The group’s other fans were enraged by the incident, with many slamming the sasaeng fans for their “perverted actions”.
“The crash must have been very bad, the fuel from the car appears to have leaked as well. Thankfully the boys are okay,” commented one netizen.
Others also urged fellow fans to “never engage in such acts”, and to “always keep a respectful distance from their idols”.