SEOUL, Nov 18 — A Japanese woman in her 50s has been charged with allegedly forcing an unwanted kiss on BTS member Jin during a public fan event last year, according to a report by Hankook Ilbo.
The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office said the woman was charged yesterday with sexual harassment after investigators concluded she had acted without the idol’s consent during a fan-meet session.
The incident happened at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul’s Songpa District in June 2024, shortly after Jin — real name Kim Seok-jin — completed his mandatory military service.
During a fan hug event, the woman approached him and suddenly planted a kiss on his cheek, an act captured in widely circulated posts on X.
The unexpected breach of boundaries drew immediate outrage from fans.
Several lodged complaints through South Korea’s National Petition System, saying the woman had committed an indecent act in a crowded public space.
Songpa Police opened an investigation but suspended it in March this year, citing delays and the suspect’s failure to appear. She later turned up voluntarily for questioning, after which police found the allegations credible and referred the case to prosecutors.
Jin, the oldest member of BTS, resumed public schedules and promotional work after completing his military duty. Neither he nor his agency, Big Hit Music, has publicly commented on the case.
