SEVENTEEN member The8 was nearly doxxed and became a victim of defamation that same day.
On June 4, 2024, footage of The8 at the airport to accomplish his schedules in China started circulating online. In the video, a fan spots The8 and walks closer. As they do, they record his private passport. They then joke about exposing the idol's private information.
Seeing what happened, the idol raises a finger at the camera. The video abruptly ends there.
As soon as the video was released, CARATs expressed their anger and concern over the actions of the netizens. They claim it was videoed in a way that made The8 look bad, even when he was just trying to protect his privacy.
To add insult to injury, another popular X (formerly Twitter) account shared a video of The8 at the airport. In their tweet, they accused the SEVENTEEN member of urinating on a shrine in Japan.
CARATs rushed to The8's defense, stating that the accusations were untrue. They further expressed concern over the fact that the idol cannot travel comfortably without being stalked.
Soon, PLEDIS Entertainment's China division, Xing Can Sheng Shi Entertainment released a statement on the matter. They referred to The8 by his given name, Xu Minghao, and addressed the false allegations and invasion of privacy. They have stated that they will be taking legal action against the perpetrators involved.
Their whole statement reads,
"Recently, our company has observed that certain individuals have consistently posted false information targeting our artist, Mr. Xu Minghao. These individuals have taken video clips out of context, adding inappropriate interpretations that severely slander his character. To prevent the continued spread of these false messages, which are causing public doubt and misunderstanding about Mr. Xu Minghao, we are issuing the following statement:
1. Mr. Xu Minghao's personal identification documents are private and legally protected. No one can invade another person's privacy through leaks, disclosures, or other means. The actions of those who purposely filmed and exposed Mr. Xu's identification documents after immigration at the airport constitute a violation.
2. Certain netizens have distorted the truth and posted false messages. They must immediately cease their actions and delete all false content.
Regarding these improper acts and the messages that violate our artist's privacy and reputation, our company has been collecting evidence and reserves the right to take legal action against the responsible parties. Additionally, we urge the public to respect and protect others' privacy and reputation, maintain public order, and contribute to creating a civilized and friendly society and online community."
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Written by Alexa Lopez