SM bodyguard for Hearts2Hearts sparks debate after blocking fan by the neck

SM's bodyguard assigned to Hearts2Hearts is under debate among netizens.

On an online forum, users reacted to a series of screenshots from a fan-taken video at the airport, where the SM girl group was seen boarding a tram to travel between terminals. In the images, the bodyguard is seen blocking a fan by appearing to press his forearm against her neck area.

According to netizens, the guard took this defensive measure to prevent the fan—who was also carrying a camera bag—from entering the tram with Hearts2Hearts.

In the comments, many netizens stated that in this case the action was "necessary," as the fan’s intent was "visibly clear," and she appeared to be violating a known restriction. They also pointed out that in the full video, the fan was seen running rapidly toward the tram door, which likely triggered the bodyguard’s sudden response.

However, some netizens argue that no bodyguard has the right to physically restrain someone unless it's to immediately protect the artist from imminent harm. They highlighted that bodyguards do not have legal authority to lay hands on the public beyond the minimum required for safety.

The issue of aggressive bodyguard conduct in the K-pop industry remains unresolved, even after past controversies including the case of actor Byeon Woo Seok, which occurred roughly a year ago in July.

This latest incident has drawn renewed attention to SM Entertainment’s security practices, as both NCT and Hearts2Hearts have faced similar scrutiny—most recently back in March of this year.

Reactions included:

"But wasn't it that the person ran up first in this case?"

"That person followed too closely… even the comments are mostly saying the bodyguard had no choice this time."

"But in that railway area, they probably have no choice but to be extra cautious with security. It's such a crowded place where people constantly bump into each other... and it looks like that person approached first."

"So now Korea has vigilantes? Bodyguards aren’t cops or soldiers with legal authority. Like that NCT shoulder check clip, they should be using passive defense—blocking with a shoulder or arm, not grabbing with their hands. Who cares what happened beforehand? Here come the SM defenders crawling in to make excuses."

"SM just gets called out more often, but honestly, excessive behavior from celebrity bodyguards is the same across the board ㅋㅋ It's not just one company’s problem—they all need an overhaul."

"If you watch the video, the person runs in super fast."

"Sure, the bodyguard's role is part of the issue, but the bigger problem is the fans who swarm celebrities in public spaces, pushing and crowding them. It's dangerous for the celebrities, and it's chaotic for the general public too. Why do people insist on chasing after celebrities like that and causing such a nuisance in the first place?"

"If you remember that one guy at the award show or whatever who ran at Winter super aggressively—it just shows that when people get that close, bodyguards really have no choice but to intervene. To avoid anything bad happening, fans shouldn’t get that close to begin with."

"That person followed too closely… even the comments are mostly saying the bodyguard had no choice this time."

"But in the subway area, they probably have no choice but to be extra cautious with security. It's such a crowded place where people constantly bump into each other... and it looks like that person approached first."

"Why twist the person’s neck though?"

"Seeing how consistent SM is, it’s like they actually want their security to act that way."

"SM again?"

What are your thoughts?