A wave of discontent has swept through the K-pop community as fans express outrage over what they perceive as SM Entertainment's mistreatment of BoA, a revered figure in the industry.
The controversy erupted following the circulation of a viral post titled "Protest Truck Outside Of SM," which showcased trucks stationed outside the headquarters of SM Entertainment.
Questioning Loyalty and Support
In the viral post, netizens raised pointed questions regarding SM Entertainment's response to the ongoing harassment and defamation targeting BoA.
One commenter lamented, "What was SM doing while BoA's career, effort, and heart were being ripped apart? How can you call yourself family?"
god please take all of boa's pain and give it to sm entertainment
— α α α π³ γπ¦ π ππ¦π ΒΉβ° βΆ π€ (@KITCHISLAND) April 7, 2024
These sentiments underscored fans' concerns about the agency's loyalty and support towards one of its longest-standing artists.
mind you that BoA has been a director in sm since 2014. She also bought more shares in 2019.. and the queen just dropped the hint about "retiring" π
— β‘ 8lue INCLUDE HEECHUL (@sjsofabulous) April 6, 2024
I hope she's okay rn, debuted at the age of 13, she spent more than half of her precious life for SM Entertainment ππ pic.twitter.com/HNTHItrvol
BoA, who has contributed significantly to the K-pop landscape for over two decades, has been a frequent target of online harassment and defamation. Fans highlighted the severity of the situation, pointing out that some malicious comments date back as far as 24 years.
SM Entertainment deserve their GREATEST DOWNFALL for what they have done damaging & sabotaging our Kwon BoA since her US debut - until now π€§ #FreeBoA https://t.co/BfflFgGevg
— JASB π΅πΈ (@91jasonng) April 6, 2024
Despite BoA's enduring dedication to her craft, fans feel that SM Entertainment has failed to adequately shield her from such attacks.
Demanding Action
The protest trucks featured in the viral post carried banners expressing fans' frustration and demanding action from SM Entertainment. SOURCE
Messages such as "Stop using your artists and protect them" and "Wake up, SM! Report back after you have sued the malicious commenters" were prominently displayed, reflecting fans' demands for accountability.
On social media platforms, fans rallied together to voice their support for BoA and condemn SM Entertainment's handling of the situation.
Many called on the agency to take legal action against those responsible for the malicious comments and emphasized the need for proactive measures to protect artists from online harassment.
Calls for Accountability
The outcry from fans prompted calls for SM Entertainment to release a statement addressing the issue and to follow through with legal action against offenders.
The organizer of the PA truck convoy said they were going to "choke DC like a boa constrictor".
— Ted (@trom771) February 24, 2022
Then almost no one showed up.
Now he's saying "weβre not putting a chokehold on DC today."
This is what happens when they don't get enough funding. These are not organic protests.
Some fans recalled previous instances where the agency had promised to take action against malicious commenters but failed to do so, further fueling their frustration and disappointment.
I believe this is the first time k-jumpings sending a protest truck for BoA. The fandom is too kind considering how shitty sm has been treating her https://t.co/fmLYcJfsBW
— Mira (@mieyracle) April 8, 2024
As the controversy continues to unfold, fans remain steadfast in their support for BoA and their demand for accountability from SM Entertainment.
The outcome of this incident remains uncertain, but one thing is clear - fans will not remain silent when it comes to defending their beloved artists.
π¨ | Truck protest by Jumping BoA fanclub to criticize SM's poor response over the years to malicious commenters is scheduled to happen today at 10AM KST.
— BoA FANBASE (Emptiness Era) (@BoAKwonBlog) April 8, 2024
The protest will demand specific action plans for malicious comments against BoA's career and activities.#BoA #보μ https://t.co/TLN6b1Go7L
KpopStarz owns this article.
Written by Cassidy Jones.