A Japanese national, identified as Ms. A, who was charged with attempting a surprise kiss on BTS member Jin, ultimately failed to appear in court.
The Seoul Eastern District Court’s Criminal Division 9 was scheduled to proceed with Ms. A’s second trial date for charges of indecent assault on the 16th, but due to her non-attendance, the trial has been postponed again.
Regarding Ms. A’s repeated absence following her non-appearance on the 14th, the court stated, “The trial cannot proceed due to the defendant’s absence, so it will be postponed. A new date will be set later.”
Previously, in June, Ms. A had submitted an objection and a notice of reservation of rights regarding the trial proceedings to the court. It appears she raised an objection, citing issues with the current trial process. However, the specific reasons for her submission of these documents remain undisclosed.
Ms. A is accused of forcibly attempting to kiss Jin on the cheek while embracing him during a ‘Free Hug’ fan event with 100 fans, held on June 13, 2024, at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Songpa-gu, Seoul. At the time, Jin reportedly turned away immediately, appearing flustered.
Following the incident, Ms. A posted on her social media, stating, “My lips touched Jin’s neck. His skin was very soft.” Fans who witnessed the incident filed a complaint through the National Shinmungo (public petition portal), requesting an investigation into Ms. A for public indecency in a crowded place.
Subsequently, the Seoul Songpa Police Station took over the case, booked Ms. A, and requested her appearance. However, anticipating a lengthy investigation, they decided to suspend the investigation in March.
Later, Ms. A entered Korea and voluntarily appeared for police questioning. The police determined that the indecent assault charge against Ms. A was valid and forwarded the case to the prosecution.
While Ms. A claimed she had no criminal intent, considering it merely “light skinship with a celebrity,” the prosecution concluded that the charges were valid, taking into account the physical contact made without the victim’s consent, as well as her subsequent actions and statements.
Subsequently, Ms. A expressed her feelings of unfairness regarding her indictment through Japan’s TBS News, stating, “I am upset (or resentful). I never thought this would be considered a crime.”
