“An airport is originally a battlefield”… Byun Wo-seok, the pros and cons of excessive protection

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[Dispatch=Kim So-jeong·Jeong Tae-yoon reporters] ① June 6, 2024, Incheon Airport Terminal 1, 3rd floor departure gate 2.

Actor Byeon Woo-seok arrived at Incheon Airport. His destination was Taiwan. It was the beginning of his Asian tour.

Many fans gathered. In front of gate 2, it turned into a battlefield. They fought to pass through the (automatic door) first, resulting in a physical struggle. One fan fell down. It could have led to a stampede accident.

② June 26, 2024, Incheon Airport Terminal 2, 3rd floor departure gate 2.

Actor Byeon Woo-seok arrived at Incheon Airport again. His destination was Indonesia. He was scheduled to attend a fan meeting in Jakarta.

Many fans gathered. The security team remembered the chaos on June 6. They stationed 2 guards in front of the automatic door and formed a human chain. However, they failed. Fans pushed through the manual door next to the automatic one.

③ July 12, 2024, Incheon Airport Terminal 2, 3rd floor departure gate 2.

Actor Byeon Woo-seok arrived at Incheon Airport again. His destination was Hong Kong. It was the final schedule of his Asian tour.

The security team remembered the previous two failures. Therefore, they requested cooperation from the airport police. Following discussions with the police, the security team manually switched the automatic door. They restricted opening and closing for 48 seconds to control access.

Ultimately, it was successful. A 48-second gap was created between Byeon Woo-seok and the fans. There were no safety incidents.

However, it was a failure. Criticism of ‘excessive security’ poured in. Byeon Woo-seok faced public backlash outside the airport.

◆ The airport is a battlefield

On June 17, Incheon Airport Corporation President Lee Hak-jae said, “It’s the first time since the airport was built.” He emphasized the need for measures, saying, “There hasn’t been such excessive response from private security companies before.”

However, the entry and exit of popular stars has always been chaotic. Artists were pushed and fell, fans stumbled and were pushed. Property damage occurred frequently. There were incidents where the automatic doors were broken as well.

On June 23, 2023, fans fell in front of Espa. (RNX News)

On May 5, 2023, Baekhyun fans lost their center. (RNX News)

ENHYPEN fans also fell in succession. (24.01.25, RNX News)

Last June, IU supported a fallen fan. (RNX News)

Fans rushed in with the appearance of Jebeon, (23.05.13)

The safety line collapsed upon Nu’Est’s arrival. (23.08.23, RNX News)

In June 2024, the automatic door broke upon Rye’s arrival.

Jungkook staggered (23.12.02)

V asked about well-being again. (22.11.20)

“I worry every time I leave.” (V)

◆ Again, July 12

Again, July 12, 2024. Byeon Woo-seok got out of the car. Guardian ① stood beside him. Byeon Woo-seok crossed the crosswalk with the escort of guardian ①.

Guardians ② ③ ④ ⑤ were guarding in front of gate 2. As Byeon Woo-seok entered the departure hall, guardian ① followed. Meanwhile, guardians ③ ④ manually switched the door at gate 2 for (48 seconds) closure.

Byeon Woo-seok headed to the check-in counter. The roles of guardians ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ were to manage the interior control line of the departure hall. ⑥ manned the yellow line of the barrier and ⑦ ⑧ prevented fans from crossing the line.

After completing the departure procedures, Byeon Woo-seok headed to the business lounge. Guardians ① ⑧ conducted proximity operations. ① protected the actor right by his side, and ⑧ maintained a safe distance by preventing fans.

(① flashed at fans who followed to the lounge. ⑧ requested airline ticket presentation in front of the lounge escalator.)

So far, this is the movement of Byeon Woo-seok and the guardians. The problematic aspects were ‘manual door switch’ and ‘flash shooting,’ ‘ticket inspection,’ etc.

◆ Consulted with the police

Byeon Woo-seok’s security company strengthened the security personnel three times. They started with 6 personnel (June 6) and increased to 8 personnel (July 12).

Security company representative Mr. A said to ‘Dispatch,’ “Usually, two security guards are assigned when an actor leaves.” He added, “Byeon Woo-seok started with 6 people, but it was overwhelming. He eventually added 2 more individuals.”

The security team was most concerned at the departure gate 2. A fan had already fallen once, and the human chain had been breached. The security team requested cooperation from the airport police at the scene and manually switched the door.

Upon confirming Byeon Woo-seok’s departure video, one can see the presence of airport police personnel. The personnel entered the departure hall with the security guards after manually opening and closing the door. It can be seen that there was prior coordination.

Incheon Airport said, “During the departure of celebrities or the arrival of foreign athletes, the security personnel control the gate at their own discretion,” stating, “Even when player Ohtani visited, (the automatic door) was manually opened.”

◆ Safety over criticism

If security personnel take active measures, they face criticism for being ‘excessive.’ Conversely, if they respond passively, they face accusations of ‘indifference.’ However, the stance is that safety is more important than criticism for security personnel.

“The automatic door was manually blocked for 48 seconds. That short time enabled us to secure a (relaxed) route. It prevented stampede accidents and property damage. Safety is more important than criticism.” (Security company representative Mr. A)

However, the guidance announcements from the security guards were deemed inexperienced, and they apologized for that. Mr. A said, “The security guard mentioned closing the door for 10 minutes. This caused a significant misunderstanding. In reality, the time the door was held was 48 seconds.”

Mr. A threw a question back at ‘Dispatch.’

“A fan fell on June 6. If other fans had been pushed down at that time?’Why didn’t you switch to manual operation?’ There would have been criticism. We may have ‘overdone’ at the scene. But we thought it was the best action at the time. We apologize.” (Mr. A)

◆ Flash was overdone

The scene of stars’ entry and exit is no different from a battlefield. Fans, home photographers, (proxy) reporters, YouTubers, and video reporters were mixed together, turning into a battlefield.

The mission of security guards is to protect artists. In the process, they also resorted to violence. They used hands, fists, and feet to stop fans approaching with a camera.

That’s where the flashlight came in. It involves shining a flashlight towards the opponent’s lens. This was considered a good example of the security guard’s actions. It was praised for preventing close-up shots while avoiding physical contact.

However, in Byeon Woo-seok’s case, the flashlight became a symbol of excessive security. This was because security guard ① shot indiscriminately. Especially, was there a reason to flash inside the business lounge.

Security company representative Mr. A said to ‘Dispatch,’ “Some fans followed to the lounge with business tickets” and stated, “The security guard overreacted. I apologize for the discomfort caused.”

“Flashlights should be used as a warning to fans approaching with a camera. It seems that too much light was shone for too long. For the inconvenience caused to passengers, we apologize. It was our fault.” (Mr. A)

◆ Passport check controversy

However, regarding the passport inspection controversy, they expressed some unfairness. Most importantly, the passport and ID checks were a mistake. They clarified, “I only verified the business use ticket going to the 2nd floor lounge.”

The airport security personnel also took part. They checked for the lounge ticket availability at the escalator entrance. Indeed, in the on-site video, the security staff’s voices asking, “Where are you going?” and “Please show (your ticket)” can be heard.

“The escalator leading to the lounge is narrow. If fans rush, congestion is inevitable. It could lead to accidents. Therefore, we had to inevitably ask to show the ticket.” (Mr. A)

The security company representative said, “We did not demand a passport. Please dispel any misunderstandings.” He continued, “Even for the benefit of lounge users, checks were necessary,” explaining further.

“Regular passengers could have been harmed. If fans had crowded, they couldn’t take the escalator. But ultimately, we upset the feelings of ordinary customers. I apologize.” (Mr. A)

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