According to a victims’ group on October 23, S brand announced in September that they would invite 50 randomly selected customers to attend an event featuring Jeonghan and The8. This led fans to rush to purchase the brand’s products, with some customers reportedly spending a combined total of approximately 63 million KRW (about $60,000).
However, the event did not meet the expectations of the attendees. Although the number of winners was initially set at 50, additional Chinese consumers were allowed into the venue, making it difficult for the winners to fully enjoy the photo wall segment. Furthermore, a special video that had been planned was not shown without any prior notice.
The biggest issue, according to the victims, was SEVENTEEN’s limited participation. While idols usually attend such events for over 30 minutes, SEVENTEEN’s appearance lasted only about 9 minutes from entrance to exit.
The victims’ group lodged an official complaint with the brand, but S brand has yet to provide a concrete response, offering only vague promises of compensation. Fans are now expressing their anger, accusing the brand of exploiting SEVENTEEN’s name.