Japanese woman who kissed BTS’s Jin at fan meeting indicted, claims “I didn’t think it was a crime”

A Japanese woman in her 50s who was indicted for suddenly kissing BTS member Jin at his fan meeting has claimed she is being treated unfairly.

On November 18th KST, Japan’s TBS News reported that the woman, identified as A, had been prosecuted in South Korea on charges of forcible harassment. According to the outlet, A stated during the investigation, “I’m upset. I never imagined this would be considered a crime.”

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office indicted her without detention on the 12th. She is accused of forcibly kissing Jin on the face during his “Free Hug” fan meeting held last June at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul’s Songpa District.

The moment A kissed Jin spread rapidly on social media, causing widespread outrage. Some Jin fans subsequently filed complaints through the government’s Civil Petition Service, requesting an investigation for “harassment in a crowded public place.”

Police worked with Interpol to identify A and booked her. However, as she had returned to Japan, the investigation was delayed and temporarily suspended in March. The case resumed after A voluntarily returned to Korea for questioning. The Seoul Songpa Police concluded that her actions constituted a crime and forwarded the case to prosecutors.