RM of BTS. Image: Twitter/@BIGHIT_MUSIC
Big Hit Music has announced that it would take action against an employee of the Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) who illegally accessed the personal information of Kim Nam-joon, also known as RM of K-pop global sensation BTS.
The music label made the confirmation to the Korean media outlet Newsen, after KORAIL said the employee looked up RM’s address, phone number, and train ticket reservations for 18 times over the span of three years since 2019. In South Korea, a commuter’s address and phone number are required to book tickets online.
“We will verify the details and, after, take the necessary steps to protect our artist,” Big Hit said in a statement.
The state-run railway operator also revealed that the employee back in 2021 found out that the BTS member took a KTX, also known as Korea Train Express bullet train, from its capital Seoul to Dongdaegu station, which is located in Daegu, South Korea. The staff also confessed that they tried to visit the train station just to see a glimpse of the K-pop artist.
Per Newsen, the employee was in charge of KORAIL’s reservation system, which gives them access to customer information. Following an internal investigation, it was revealed that the staff illegally accessed the information “out of curiosity.”
The employee has already been fired from the state-run railway operator, as of this writing. However, an internal penalty is set to be pushed through, per the report.
“We are developing a new system that notifies those who view the information with a warning and demands them to submit reasons for viewing the information. We will have a real-time tracking system established by the end of the year,” KORAIL was quoted as saying.
Following the report, fans took to social media to call for the railway corporation to respect RM’s privacy.
Twitter user @rmswissarmybase said the illegal access of the BTS member’s information is “breach of personal data [and] breach of trust.”
We are furious.
We are upset.
This is unacceptable.
This is breach of personal data, breach of trust.We are calling Korail & @korea_land to get to the bottom of this & fix the problem, so no one should fall victim to this ever again in the future.
KORAIL RESPECT RM pic.twitter.com/Qaeo8ypFJs
— RM Swiss aRMy Base ⁷ |💙INDIGO💙| Fan Account (@rmswissarmybase) March 1, 2023
One @bts_we_are_7 said, “Leave Namjoon alone!!!”
an employee of korail, which is the national railway operator in SK managed by a whole minister was able to access joon’s train ticketing information as well as his personal information, his address, mobile phone number & more. Leave Namjoon alone!!!
BIGHIT PROTECT RM pic.twitter.com/BQpdpbmiY2
— t⁷♡ (@bts_we_are_7) March 1, 2023
Another @anx_tea suspected that the controversy is the reason why the BTS member removed one of his Instagram posts.
MAYBE THAT WAS THE REASON NAMJOON DELETED / ARCHIVED HIS NAMJOONING POST?
KORAIL RESPECT RM
HYBE BIGHIT PROTECT NAMJOON pic.twitter.com/eoLpoiO9ks— joji⁷ (@anx_tea) March 1, 2023
Twitter user @seokjinbit hoped that the employee would be put to “jail.”
Bighit will be taking action against the Korail employee for stealing and looking at RM’s personal info
hope this leads to that employee getting jail time lmao thats the only reasonable punishment pic.twitter.com/dkXv3629pI
— lea⁷ 🧑🏻🚀 (@seokjinbit) March 2, 2023
RM made his debut as the leader and main rapper of BTS in June 2013. He released his debut studio album “Indigo” in December 2022, which was certified double platinum by the Korea Music Content Association. EDV