It’s not surprising that K-pop fans are willing to spend a lot of money on their idols. However, fans of IVE (아이브) member Jang Wonyoung (장원영) recently sparked debate after spending an exorbitant amount of money on gifts for the young idol.
On 31st August 2025 (Sunday), Jang Wonyoung celebrated her birthday, turning 21 years old. In celebration of her special day, fans from China have collectively raised money to purchase gifts for the idol, typically referred to as birthday support. However, it was the cost of the birthday support that shocked netizens, as the fans reportedly spent 500 million won (approximately RM1.5 million) on gifts alone.
It’s worth noting that birthday support isn’t anything new in the K-pop world, and many other idols have received equally or more extravagant birthday gifts. Additionally, Chinese fans’ gifts are regarded as the most extravagant among each country’s fan bases. The items that Jang Wonyoung received for her birthday include jewellery from BVLGARI and Van Cleef & Arpels, clothing and shoes from Miu Miu and a Nintendo Switch 2 console.
However, in recent years, many idols and agencies have discouraged fans from sending birthday support. Companies like SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment also stated they won’t accept physical gifts addressed to their artists. Instead, many idols encourage fans to send in letters or donate in their names for their birthdays. As such, many netizens criticised Jang Wonyoung’s agency, Starship Entertainment, for continuing to receive birthday gifts.
Many netizens criticised the decision to spend an excessive amount of money on idols who can afford to purchase items for themselves. Others called the act wasteful, lamenting that fans should instead spend the money on themselves or make meaningful donations to provide for the less fortunate. Some also suggested that Starship Entertainment should stop accepting gifts since IVE is already successful and the members are ambassadors for luxury brands.
We also agree that fan support can seem wasteful. However, we also believe the decision on how much fans should spend ultimately falls on the fans themselves. Perhaps Starship Entertainment could consider updating its fan support guidelines to avoid criticism.
Sources: China Press, Twitter
