Sasaeng fan

A sasaeng or sasaeng fan (Korean: 사생팬; Hanja: 私生팬; RR: sasaengpaen) is the South Korean term for an obsessive fan who acts in ways that invade the privacy of Korean idols, drama actors, or other public figures in the entertainment industry. One of the most notable activities associated with sasaeng fans is stalking. The term sasaeng comes from the Korean words sa (사; 私) meaning "private" and saeng (생; 生) meaning "life", in reference to the fans' intrusion into celebrities' private lives.^[1]

According to the estimates of celebrity managers in the Korean media, popular Korean celebrities may have "between 500 and 1,000 sasaeng fans", and be actively followed by about 100 sasaeng fans every day.^[2] Sasaeng fans are described as often being female, aged 13 to 22, and driven to commit what in some cases may amount to borderline criminal acts in order to gain attention from celebrities. Examples of such acts include seeking out celebrities at their dorms or homes, spreading rumours, stealing their personal belongings or information, harassing family members, and sending idols gifts such as lingerie.^[3] As a result of sasaeng's presence on social media, a preconception about K-pop fans is established, with the misunderstanding that the entire fandom displays the same stalker behaviors that sasaengs do.