ENHYPEN's Japanese member NI-KI (Nishimura Riki, 西村力) has recently garnered attention due to a fan-related incident. A Japanese fan, Mina, reportedly became embroiled in online controversy and received numerous negative comments after NI-KI's past livestream remarks were misinterpreted. Her recent death in Korea has sent shockwaves through the fandom.
NI-KI had previously discussed topics like "some fans just want attention" during a livestream. These comments were interpreted by some fans as referring to Mina, leading to a series of online attacks. Mina posted a public apology on the 1st and announced the closure of her fan account, hoping to end the controversy, but the issue seemingly did not subside.
Mina was well-known within the fandom. She was considered a long-time supporter of NI-KI and frequently shared ENHYPEN-related content, boasting over 80,000 followers on TikTok. One video featuring NI-KI alone surpassed 1.5 million views. She had also attended numerous concerts and fan signing events, consistently supporting her idol.
Following the incident's revelation, ENHYPEN proceeded with their scheduled "BLOOD SAGA" world tour concerts in Busan on the 8th and 9th. This marked NI-KI's first public appearance since the news broke, drawing significant attention to his on-stage demeanor.
Videos from the concert show NI-KI performing his singing and dancing routines normally, interacting with other members and fans. On stage, he expressed his emotion at holding a concert in Busan in this format for the first time, encouraging fans to enjoy the performance and create more unforgettable memories together.
Additionally, on the 8th, the official account released a dance video of NI-KI promoting a new song, showing him dancing alone in front of the camera, smiling and displaying charismatic expressions.
Meanwhile, Mina's mother arrived in Korea around the 9th to handle her daughter's funeral arrangements. According to Mina's friends, she was raised by her single mother, and her family's financial situation was not affluent. She had worked while studying to lessen her mother's burden. Reportedly, she had planned to start a new life in Korea in the future, making her tragic passing particularly heartbreaking for friends and family.
Especially poignant is that Mina was about to celebrate her 27th birthday, but passed away before it, leaving her mother in immense grief.
Currently, neither ENHYPEN nor their agency has publicly responded to the incident. This has led some netizens to question why NI-KI and the company have not yet issued a statement, which some fans find unacceptable.
Netizens have commented, saying: "This is truly terrifying," "Their long-time fan passed away, and there's no condolence?" and "Even from an idol's perspective, they should at least express condolences." Related discussions continue to spread within the fandom.
However, some of the content circulating online and the exact reasons for Mina's cyberbullying still require further confirmation. The subsequent developments of the incident and the official statements from ENHYPEN and their agency are being closely watched by the public.
