Hanyang University ERICA Responds to Accusations of Mocking SEVENTEEN’s Unit BSS

On June 1st, the Hanyang University ERICA student council president issued a statement through the official Instagram account, stating that the delay was necessary to ensure accurate fact-checking and convey a precise position. The post also featured multiple images with a detailed explanation and a sincere apology to anyone affected or concerned by the controversy.

As per the statement, the student council tackled various concerns that arose during the festival, including managing lines, distributing numbered tickets, conducting belongings checks, and organizing luggage storage.

They clarified that due to the lengthy wait that began early in the morning, there were numerous questions about using the restroom, receiving deliveries, and leaving the queue, as well as complaints about people cutting in line. With a limited number of staff to manage the large crowd, it was decided that anyone who left the queue for any reason would need to return to the back of the line. At 7:30 AM, when the line was not yet very long, they advised attendees to take care of their restroom and other needs while the queue was still short.

The student council clarified that they did not mock the members of SEVENTEEN’s unit BSS, despite allegations to the contrary. Rather, they communicated with the agency about safety concerns and made requests for caution. They emphasized that they never made any disrespectful comments towards the artists or suggested that they had control over access to restrooms and drinking water.

According to their statement, they did not allow individuals to leave the queue and then re-enter. However, they clarified that after receiving their tickets, people were able to re-enter through a designated line.

In regards to the belongings checks, it was mentioned that hired external personnel, rather than student council members, conducted the checks on the second day. It was also stated that there were no violations of privacy or unnecessary physical contact during these checks.

During their explanation, they clarified that the video circulating online did not involve any student council members, but instead featured external personnel. The purpose of the video was to demonstrate the process of sorting prohibited items that had been collected earlier, in order for them to be returned upon exiting. The school apologizes for any inconvenience caused and regrets not being able to provide a more comfortable environment for its students.

The student council showed remorse and issued an apology, stating, “We deeply regret any inconvenience caused by our lack of careful consideration. We want to emphasize that defaming the school, students, artists, or fans online is a serious criminal offense. We urge everyone to refrain from making any false or defamatory statements.”

The first day of Hanyang University’s ERICA campus spring festival “ESPERO”started on May 28th, featuring performances by QWER, Changmo, Jannabi, and Vromance. The second day saw performances by Choi Yena, Nell, BSS, and Cravity.

The large presence of popular idols on campus resulted in the gathering of many fans, causing complaints from those in attendance.

There were multiple reports on social media claiming that the student council had forbidden people in line from using the restroom. There were also numerous complaints about the student council conducting checks on personal belongings, with accusations of them abusing their power.