K-pop stars are no strangers when it comes to flying, often travelling for work and holidays. However, given their popularity, their personal information is at risk after being handled by many strangers.
Recently, a Hong Kong-based airline employee was caught illegally selling flight reservations for some of South Korea’s top celebrities, including BTS (방탄소년단). On 24th February 2025 (Monday), the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s cybercrime unit revealed that they are investigating a 30-year-old woman, known as “A”, for allegedly accessing and leaking hundreds of flight details from 2023 to 2024.
“A” worked for an international airline and had direct access to internal booking systems. She allegedly searched for celebrity names and birthdates using airline software to obtain confidential flight information, including seat numbers. “A” would then sell this information for profit, marking the price up for more popular stars and specific details. According to reports, she has sold over 1,000 sets of data and made profits exceeding 10 million KRW (approximately RM30,800).
The suspect reportedly confessed to initially sharing the information as a favour to her acquaintances but later began selling the data for profit. Authorities are now expanding their investigation to identify other individuals involved in the sale and illegal distribution of celebrity flight details. Unfortunately, it was not reported which stars have had their flight details illegally sold to the public.
However, such an issue has long been rampant in the K-pop industry. Many obsessive stalkers, known as sasaeng, seek their idols’ flight details to book a seat on the same flight and be closer to these celebrities. Some also use it to stalk their idols during non-official schedules, particularly in foreign countries. Many fans have urged agencies and authorities to take action against selling flight details, noting that it puts idols’ safety and privacy at risk.
We’re glad that authorities are finally taking action against the illegal sales of flight details, and we hope this case will remind other airline employees of the legal consequences of selling personal data. What are your thoughts on this?
Source: Allkpop
