NCT's Renjun has publicly apologized for mistakenly revealing a private individual's phone number, a misstep that has ignited significant backlash. And rightfully so.
Earlier, SM Entertainment issued a formal apology after Renjun shared a phone number on the Bubble messaging app, mistakenly identifying it as belonging to an obsessed fan. However, the number's owner, identified only as Ms. C, clarified that she had unintentionally called Renjun. She criticized SM Entertainment for not directly apologizing to her and revealed that Renjun's manager initially questioned whether she was an obsessed fan. Facing harassment and forced to change her phone number, Ms. C reported the incident to the police, demanding a proper apology from SM.
In response, Renjun has issued a personal apology on his Instagram account, acknowledging his mistake and expressing regret for the distress caused.
Despite apologies from both SM Entertainment and Renjun, fans have flooded social media and online communities with criticism. Many have expressed disappointment and frustration over what they perceive as careless handling of the situation at best and intentional, malicious doxxing at worst, sparking widespread discussion.
This can serve as a reminder that idols need to be careful when posting on social media. They have a big enough following that there is serious potential to harm people through posts like this situation shows. People make mistakes, but it is important to remember that actions can have a real impact on real people.