Earlier this year, fans were overjoyed when K-pop boy group Stray Kids (스트레이 키즈) were announced as global ambassadors for the popular biscuit brand PEPERO. After the launch of the first global edition packaging, which featured all eight members, fans were quick to purchase them in support of their idols.
There were few, if any, issues with the collaboration initially—until fans noticed that the most recent packaging was missing one member. As expected, many were outraged by the oversight. Here’s what happened:
Over the weekend, photos circulated on social media showing PEPERO packages sold in stores in Canada that featured only seven members. As seen in the images, Han Jisung (한지성) was missing from the design. The posts also included a screenshot of how the packaging is supposed to appear, with all eight members present. The issue quickly went viral, with STAYs (Stray Kids fans) calling out the brand and its parent company, Lotte, for the design error.
Many accused Lotte and PEPERO of disrespecting Han by excluding him from the packaging. Others have called for a boycott until the company acknowledges the mistake and recalls the products to correct the error. Some even tagged Stray Kids themselves to make them aware of the situation, although it is highly unlikely the group would publicly comment on it.
Yesterday (Tuesday, 23rd December), Lotte finally issued a statement addressing the packaging error. “Upon confirmation, we immediately extended our sincere apologies to the Stray Kids HAN. Above all, we would like to offer our deepest apologies to the fans who may have been hurt or disappointed by this issue. We are closely listening to and reviewing the feedback shared by fans. We once again sincerely apologise to HAN and fans for any inconvenience and confusion caused,” the company wrote.
Further details are expected in a forthcoming announcement. Shortly after the statement was posted, fans expressed that a formal apology alone was insufficient. While they acknowledged the apology, many felt the company should have been clearer about its next steps, particularly whether the products currently being sold in stores would be recalled. Guess we’ll have to wait for the next announcement to confirm if anything is currently being done about this error.
