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K-pop Fans Crash Pension Fund Lines Over Boy Band Member's Exit
19 Mar
Summary
- Pension fund lines were flooded by K-pop fans angry over a band member's departure.
- An erroneous social media post incorrectly identified the fund as HYBE's majority shareholder.
- Fans previously targeted government fax machines over management agency disputes.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2026, the National Pension Fund (NPS) in South Korea faced significant disruption when its telephone and email support lines were crashed by fans of the K-pop group Enhypen. The fans were protesting the recent departure of a member from the popular boy band.
Kim Sung-joo, chairman and CEO of the NPS, revealed on Facebook that an erroneous social media post on X had circulated, claiming the pension fund was the majority shareholder of HYBE, the management label for Enhypen. This misinformation led fans to contact the fund, causing over 1,500 emails and numerous overseas calls within a two-hour period.
The NPS, which held a 7.54% stake in HYBE as of September 2025, clarified that it does not interfere with K-pop group formations or member decisions. This marks a rare instance of a government public service being disrupted by fan activism, a tactic previously employed by K-pop fan groups, such as when fans of girl group NewJeans targeted the culture ministry's fax machines last year.
