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K-pop influencer Mina Chan dies during TikTok livestream after facing backlash from fans
Mina Chan's younger sister confirmed her death on Instagram.
Mina Chan, a 26-year-old K-pop influencer and prominent ENHYPEN fan, died by suicide during a TikTok livestream on August 5. The Japanese social media creator was based in South Korea and had more than 80,000 TikTok followers.
According to a report by PageSix, Chan was livestreaming from her residence when viewers became concerned and reportedly urged authorities to intervene. Seoul's Yongsan Police Station later found her dead at around 5:33 am after receiving a report from one of her acquaintances. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
Chan's younger sister subsequently confirmed her death on Instagram. "My beloved older sister, who was always kind and warm to everyone she met, has passed away. I kindly ask that you keep my sister in your thoughts and prayers," the post read.
Before her death, Chan had faced a wave of criticism from ENHYPEN fans following an interaction at the K-pop group's show in the US last month, PageSix reported. Chan had attempted to get member Sunoo to pass flowers to fellow member Ni-ki, who, like her, is Japanese. Some fans accused her of overstepping boundaries over the interaction, leading to significant backlash online.
Chan apologised in a lengthy post on X on July 31, saying she felt she had taken advantage of Sunoo's kindness. "I feel like my actions ended up taking advantage of Sunoo's kindness. I'm truly sorry. I feel so apologetic toward Sunoo and all the Sunoo fans," she wrote.
"By attending ENHYPEN's fansigns multiple times, I had deluded myself into thinking I was closer to the members than I actually was. I deeply regret the rude behavior I exhibited in America. I ruined the atmosphere of the venue by prioritizing my own desire to meet Ni-ki over the precious time Ni-ki, who loves America so much, deserved. I'm truly sorry," she added.
But despite the apology, Chen reportedly continued to face hateful comments and criticism online.
(Also Read: Influencers face backlash for attending OpenAI’s luxury trip: ‘The irony of hosting it in nature’)
Tributes pour in
Following her death, several followers paid tribute to Chan on her social media accounts, while others criticised the alleged harassment she faced.
"The amount of hate, harassment and blame-shifting in this fandom is genuinely disgusting. We lost a sweet, beautiful and kind girl with a big heart ...That people who hurt you aren't fans and it feels wrong to call them like this because the artists don't support such behavior and real fans don't support it either ... May you rest peacefully, beautiful girl," one follower wrote.
"You didn't deserve this. You were a kind and lovely person who had a big heart. I hope you are free and found peace. You will never be forgotten and I wish you could live longer to enjoy your life," commented another.
"I hope you will be happier in the next life," wrote a third user.
