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On 18 May, BTS' Jin organized a special Hi-Touch event to commemorate the launch of his second solo album, ECHO. Dubbed "Hi-Seokjin," it provided lucky fans with the opportunity to high-five the singer after winning a raffle. Conducted in a theatre-style venue, the event soon gained attention not only due to its private atmosphere but also due to his calm and articulate management of fan manners.
Dressed casually in a black open shirt, jeans, and a white vest, the eldest BTS member greeted fans warmly before proceeding to the hand-touch portion. He emphasized the importance of gentle interactions, urging fans not to grab his hand during the Hi-Touch segment. Speaking in both Korean and English, Jin added,
“So now, we gonna do the Hi-Seokjin event, but, when you grab (my) hands, it hurts. So, just lightly touch - yeah. For the foreigners, please, don't grab, touch please.”
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During the event, appearing to take a pause to speak with fans, he kindly asked fans to avoid taking close-up videos or taking pictures as they approached him.
"Everyone !!! It's fine when you taking pic/video of me when it's from your seat, but if you taking pic/recording when you coming like this, i'll come out ugly. I'll get stress if i see those kind of pics ya know, so when you come here please put your phone in your pocket," the singer said.
His firm but gentle reminders come amidst recent investigations related to a 2024 fan hug event. During the event, a Japanese female fan overstepped by allegedly kissing Jin on the neck without his approval. The incident ignited much anxiety among the fans over idols' personal space and brought forward the call for greater awareness among fans.
The singer's assertive attitude at the latest event was well-received by the fans. They praised him for having set clear boundaries while maintaining a warm connection with attendees. One fan wrote,
"Setting boundaries in a polite way, oh he is the standard."
Many praised his composed and respectful handling of fan interactions.
"All 7 BTS looks at ARMY as family. They know talking to ARMYs is as easy as calling their attention. Love how he's so easy-going, clear and succinct in his message, and best of all he's always so calm and cool. Nothing fazes our Seokjin Kim," commented an X user.
"Our Jin is super cute...he is telling us his limits but in such a cute way!! Army who is lucky to meet jin in person, please take care of our Jin, be gentle, and tell me how much we love him also for his care and warm heart, his lyrics, his energy, his smiles and him," wrote a netizen.
"I love how he politely yet firmly sets boundaries, making such events fun yet respectful. I am glad armys maintained decorum and didnt try to exploit the situation," read a comment from a fan.
In addition to praising his respectful tone, fans also highlighted Jin's confidence in addressing boundaries and the trust he places in ARMY to understand his intentions. Many appreciated his candidness and saw it as a reflection of the mutual respect shared between BTS and their fans.
"This is one thing that I love about them. They're not afraid to tell us what's on their minds because they know we would understand," said an individual on X.
"There is no way WWH will be ugly. But, it's respect to him to give the attention to him and anyway, your two hands should be high-fiving his, so, no extra hand for that phone," wrote a netizen.
"Bro is fed up with people crossing boundary so he's soft parenting us etiquette. so cute," mentioned another individual.
BTS’ Jin victim of non-consensual kiss during 2024 fan event; suspect referred to prosecution
On June 13, 2024, BTS member Jin was confirmed to have been the victim of non-consensual physical contact that took place at a fan event. South Korean authorities later took custody of a Japanese citizen in relation to the incident.
The Japanese woman, nicknamed "A," was transferred into the custody of the prosecution. She was booked under sexual misconduct in public laws as contained in the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.
The incident occurred at a fan meet-and-greet session called "Jin's Greetings" held shortly after the singer finished his compulsory military training. The event had around 1,000 fans, each of whom was allowed to hug the artist briefly. In one such instance, the woman gave the idol an impromptu kiss without his permission. The incident was recorded and posted online, and in it, the artist could be seen looking visibly startled.
After the incident, a formal complaint was filed via the South Korean government's public petition system. The authorities opened an inquiry and subsequently found an online diary entry on a Japanese website. In it the writer detailed the encounter, including personal comments about the artist's looks and physical appearance.
The investigators utilized this as corroborating evidence and, with the assistance of Interpol Japan, were successful in identifying the person. The woman also cooperated and voluntarily went to South Korea for questioning and then was transferred to the prosecution for additional legal action.
Apart from the release of his second mini-album, ECHO, Jin will also be embarking on his first solo world tour. The tour opens with a launch concert in Goyang, South Korea, on June 28, 2025.
The tour will expand to cover performances in Japan, North America, and Europe, too, giving global fans their first chance to witness him performing his solo music live.
