In South Korean culture, a sasaeng or sasaeng fan (Hangul: 사생팬) is an obsessive fan of a Korean idol, or other public figure, that has engaged in stalking or other questionable behaviour that constitutes an invasion of privacy. The term sasaeng comes from the Korean words sa (Hangul: 사; Hanja: 私) meaning 'private' and saeng (Hangul: 생; Hanja: 生) meaning 'life', in reference to the fans' intrusion into the celebrities' private lives.
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Incidents
On March 8, 2012, boy group JYJ, who have faced particular targeting from sasaengs, held a press conference in Santiago, Chile, addressing controversy over audio files that were obtained in 2009, in which two members were heard swearing at and hitting fans who had followed them. During the press conference, Yoochun stated that the group had been followed by sasaeng fans for eight years (since they were in previous group TVXQ), saying that "it felt like prison," while Junsu mentioned incidents where private phone calls had been tapped, GPS trackers had been placed on their cars, and fans broke into private property. The members issued an apology for lashing out at the fans.
Elizabeth Soh of Yahoo! Singapore reported that according to managers, popular Korean stars may have "at least 200 full-time stalkers on their heels" at any time, with some fans hiring taxi drivers that cater specifically to those wanting to follow their idols. Super Junior has also been targeted; during their Super Show 3 Tour in Singapore in 2011 it was reported that they were chased by eight fan vehicles, which eventually caused a traffic accident.
Response
In February 2011, a new clause was reportedly added to South Korea's Minor Offenses Act, aiming to protect idols from overzealous fans. This was revised in March 2013 so that a conviction of stalking would lead to a fine of KRW80,000 (USD$72).
A new law introduced in February 2016 saw the penalty for stalking rise to around US$17,000 as well a possible two-year jail sentence.