Sexual harassment scandal Hive, fansign underwear inspection; partial apology "Sorry for the discomfort"
On July 9, Weverse Shop, a fan commerce platform affiliated with Hive, apologized to fans who participated in the controversy over sexual harassment at a fan signing event.
The platform stated that fan signing events are meant for one-on-one conversations between artists and fans, and to prevent leaked recordings and embarrassing both fans and artists, electronic equipment capable of recording and filming is strictly prohibited.
However, on the 8th, there were many cases of bringing in electronic equipment hidden in the body, so a security body check was conducted by a female security officer to confirm this. This offended the fans who happily attended the event.
Weverse Shop sincerely apologized for the security reasons, stating that it cannot be grounds for making fans uncomfortable. They will prepare improvements, such as introducing a non-contact method for security purposes, to make fan signings with artists in a more comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere.
Previously, the boy group &TEAM under Hive Japan held a face-to-face fan signing event on the 8th, and according to the fans who attended, Hive's Idol & Team staff searched the fans' chests and other bodies prior to the event.
However, Hive's security cannot take precedence over fans' human rights. The apology was accompanied by a self-justifying excuse that fans inevitably conducted a "security body check" because they brought in electronic equipment hidden in their bodies.
The apology also ordered that the contents of the conversation be leaked to the outside and put more effort into educating singers so that artists do not get into trouble.
In conclusion, Weverse Shop apologizes for the security body check at the &TEAM fan signing event and aims to improve the experience for fans.
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