Rookie Idol Tries Selling A Fan’s Gift, Apologizes When “Caught Red-Handed”

MIRAE‘s Jang Yubin is facing backlash for listing a fan-given gift as a used item on a secondhand marketplace app.

MIRAE | @official_MIRAE/Twitter Member Jang Yubin | @official_MIRAE/Twitter

In a series of tweets, MIRAE fan @happy_sunday_x alleged that Jang Yubin listed a DIESEL brand long-sleeved shirt that he had received from them as a gift…

The gray shirt on sale for 150,000 KRW. | @happy_sunday_x/Twitter

…claiming that he had bought it.

The listing, selling the shirt for ₩150,000 KRW (about $112 USD), reads:

| @happy_sunday_x/Twitter

Selling A DIESEL Long-Sleeved Shirt For ₩150,000 KRW (about $112 USD)

I bought it in Japan this fall for about ₩280,000 KRW (about $209 USD). I washed it once, and the print peeled off a bit. So I haven’t worn it since. Selling it cheap for that reason!

— Jang Yubin

@happy_sunday_x also revealed what seems to be DMs with Jang Yubin on the South Korean Bungae Jangtuh (secondhand marketplace) app.

The seller’s verification badge shows that the seller’s name is “Jang –bin,” hinting that it is indeed the idol himself.

The seller’s verification badge. | @happy_sunday_x/Twitter

This seller is verified. (Name: Jang — Bin)

— Marketplace App

In the screenshot conversation, @happy_sunday_x asked the seller to explain—to which he apologized that he “didn’t think things through” when listing the gift for sale.

| @happy_sunday_x/Twitter

[Ask this seller about the “DIESEL Long-Sleeved Shirt” on sale.]

Fan: [Censored message]

Fan: [Censored message]

Fan: [Censored message]

Jang Yubin: I’m sorry. I didn’t think things through…

| @happy_sunday_x/Twitter

Fan: You know I like you a lot. So I want to understand. And if I can come to an understanding, I’m willing to let it go.

Jang Yubin: I’ve had a lot on my mind, with it being the end of the year and all. I’m just overthinking things. And when I get all up in my head like that, I usually relieve it by shopping and buying things for myself. But I didn’t want to ask my parents for the money… I couldn’t get myself to ask. So I acted on impulse. I didn’t really think about what I was doing. I’m so sorry.

Some fans argued that idols can do whatever they’d like with fan gifts since the items belong to them once they received them…

| theqoo

• “You gave it to him. It’s his. He can sell it if he wants. I don’t understand why you’re shaming him. Is it some sort of a sick and twisted fandom culture? It’s so bizarre.”
• “Well, he could’ve turned the gift down if he didn’t like it and wouldn’t know what to do with it… Like, there’s no reason for him to accept all the gifts in the first place. He can say no.”
• “WTF?”
• “I mean… Personally, I can’t even get rid of what my friends give me. So I don’t understand how he could’ve tried to get rid of what his fan gave him. He shouldn’t have accepted it if he didn’t like it. I feel terrible for the person who gave it to him.”
• “Should’ve thrown it out instead of listing it for sale. I can’t believe he tried to make money off the gift.”
• “Oh, shoot. Your name is shown if you verify yourself?! That must be how the fan caught him red-handed…”
• “TBH, I don’t think it’s horrible that he listed it for sale. But I also get that it could hurt the fan’s feelings.”
• “But what if he’s selling it because he’s actually short on cash?”
• “He’s not short on cash. He said he’s selling it because he wants money to buy what he does want. How can any fan be understanding of that?”
• “Looks like they spoke using the app’s DMs. That’s how sellers and buyers usually communicate.”
• “He apologized, though. The fan didn’t have to expose him like this.”

…but most remain unimpressed.

| theqoo

• “Isn’t it considered rude to sell gifts that people get from their friends? So for him to be selling one that he got from his fan?”
• “I feel so bad for the fan.”
• “I get how this could have been heartbreaking for the fan who got him the gift. But I think this is OK. In fact, I think selling it is much better than finding out that he gave it to his friend or, even worse, a girlfriend. We all sell things we don’t need, even if we got it as a gift from someone. The item belongs to the person who received it. And it’s up to them how the item gets used. We’d be selfish to wish that our friends would keep our gifts forever and ever. Also… It sounds like he did wear it, so it’s not like he tried to get rid of it ASAP for cash.”
• “Is this even real?! LMAO. Did he think he wouldn’t get caught? He should’ve at least put in the effort to sell it under someone else’s name. I’d be upset if a friend tried to sell off a gift that I got them. For him to be doing this to a fan… It’s the absolute lack of manners for me.”
• “Oh, no. LOL.”
• “This goes to show… Idols don’t need expensive gifts from us. Let’s not waste our monies like that. Our biases are richer than us and don’t care much for our gifts.”
• “I guess people would all cope differently. But if this happened to me, I’d never get them anything ever again.”
• “Should’ve used a family or friend’s account to list it, at least. I can’t believe he used his own account for it… Anyway, this is a good reminder that I should not be getting my biases anything.”
• “I think management companies should ban gift-receiving. Especially if they think they won’t be able to handle the gifts well. Learn from the bigger companies. They’ve already banned the gifts.”
• “I feel bad for the fan. And I don’t understand people who are saying the fan’s wrong for exposing him. Stop criticizing the fan. It’s weird.”

Neither Jang Yubin nor DSP Media has commented on the issue as of now.