According to Korean media, Incheon International Airport Corporation (Korea) recently sent an official notice to entertainment companies, titled: "Request for cooperation in compliance with the procedure for using the artist-departure gate of Incheon Airport".
"To minimize situations that could lead to large gatherings, we have established a new procedure to allow celebrities and other public figures to use dedicated entrances at Incheon Airport. This procedure will be implemented starting October 28, 2024," the document said.
They further explained, "With the rise in global popularity of Korean artists, it is common for large crowds, including fans, to gather at airports during artists' arrivals and departures.
The growing size of these crowds is causing discomfort to regular airport users and raising safety concerns.
We ask companies to inform the artist's fan community not to gather at the airport during the artist's arrival and departure."
In fact, Incheon Airport will not open a new gate specifically for celebrities, they will share the existing gates used by flight attendants and pilots. However, if a celebrity wants to use a special entrance gate, the management company must apply in advance.
The issue of crowd control at South Korean airports drew attention in July, when actor Byeon Woo Seok - famous for the movie "Running With You" - attracted a large crowd of fans at Incheon Airport.
The incident occurred when Byeon Woo Seok's personal security guards blocked the airport gate themselves, leading to a controversy over "abuse of power". It was reported that these security guards shone lights in the faces of passengers and checked their boarding passes.
After an investigation, the Incheon International Airport Police determined that the head of the security company, Mr. A, and a security officer, Mr. B, violated the Security Service Act. Both were charged without detention.
The incident sparked heated discussions about the need to adopt basic crowd control measures during the arrival and departure of celebrities and public figures at Incheon Airport.
Therefore, Incheon Airport has issued a new policy, sent to entertainment companies.
In addition, they held a meeting with representatives of major entertainment companies on October 20, requesting to avoid using excessive security measures for artists at the airport, to minimize inconvenience to other passengers.
However, Incheon Airport's decision has also received mixed reactions. Some people criticized the move as giving too many privileges to celebrities.
On the other hand, others supported the decision, saying that it was necessary. Because it was inevitable that crowds of fans would gather whenever an artist appeared at the airport, and ordinary passengers had to endure a lot of inconvenience and hardship.
