K-Pop fans call out “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” and express concerns over the safety of their items
Some Filipino K-pop fans reported on social media that their photocards were stolen in public places.
These reports came after “Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho” (KMJS) featured the collection of a teenage Filipino K-pop fan. What sets this collection apart, according to the show’s March 5, 2023 episode, is that it is estimated to be worth more than P2 million. To buy this collection, the fan stole money from her grandmother.
However, what particularly caught the attention of the public is the fan’s three NCT photocards featuring Jeong Jaehyun and Mark Lee. Each photocard has an estimated value of P50,000. These photocards were inclusions of “NCT Universe” album released in 2021 which only cost between P700 to P1,200. The probability of getting this particular photocard, however, is less than 5% since each album only comes with one universe photocard and one regular photocard.
Stolen photocards
But, what are photocards? They are actually pocket-sized exclusive images of K-pop idols included in the album package.
For South Korean music labels, inserting photocards is a good marketing strategy to boost album sales. After all, when you insert one random exclusive image of a group member in each album copy, eager fans will certainly buy multiple copies. They do so either to get the photo card of their favorite member or to complete the whole set of their stan group.
The price of K-pop photocards depends on various factors. Among them are rarity, exclusivity, condition of the card, and popularity of the group or the member. Collectors can buy original photocards for as low as PHP 35 each. But those with a tight budget often opt to print out their own photocards instead.
Safety concerns rocked the community a day after the episode aired. It was after reports about stealing incidents of K-pop photocards flooded local social media came after.
be careful y’all pic.twitter.com/yHb85Uh7nm
— izu (@lhszumi) March 6, 2023
literally crying right now. gusto ko pa bumaba ng bus para habulin sya dahil mahal na mahal ko tong pc na to but what can i do ? pic.twitter.com/1twN34vsVS
— mela (@kwonjiminlover) March 6, 2023
nadukutan friend ko today ng jeno & jaemin pc & we saw it sa fb, binebenta yung pc 1k infact that’s only 35-50 pesos kasi D’ICON PC sya. just because it’s a pc some people think na that’s around 1k+ na agad? the impact of kmjs bruh? https://t.co/khoiQaMHvd
— yna (@hoppinesscart) March 6, 2023
Echoing the concern of K-Pop fans, K-Culture influencer Kring Kim also aired her dismay over the issue.
may nahablutan daw ng engene zone poca sa mrt ??? i bet kmjs exposure ang dahilan nito, kala ata nila lahat ng pcs mahal or tig-50k ?
— Kring Kim ??? (@KringKim) March 6, 2023
ITAGO N’YO NA PHOTOCARDS N’YO SA GOBYERNO, MAHIRAP NA. ?
Meanwhile, other netizens did not mince their words in criticizing the “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” feature. According to them, it has “painted K-Pop community in a bad light.” They also say it rekindled the “stigma” that K-Pop fans have long been trying to reverse.
I haven’t seen any other collectors get ridiculed like Kpop fans. No one does this to NBA card collectors, to TMG collectors, Funko Pop collectors, NO ONE. Only Kpop fans experience such.
— ASHLEY? ? (@AlyssaAshleyC) March 6, 2023
And the way the media paints us differently among other fan communities is insulting.
and yet the only time they featured a kpop collection is when they found a minor whose means of funding them is through stealing—and they obviously know what they’re doing +
— sanza (@Sanzari_) March 6, 2023
In response to the calls for them to address the issue, “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” had released a statement condemning the harassment of their feature’s subject. They likewise asserted that the feature was never created to judge or to cause harm. Rather, they want to impart a valuable lesson with the feature.
READ: Statement ng KMJS kaugnay ng kuwento ni “Bea” na nagnakaw ng milyon sa kanyang pamilya para suportahan ang kanyang K-Pop collection pic.twitter.com/2RrmqOnxYX
— KapusoMoJessicaSoho (@KM_Jessica_Soho) March 7, 2023
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