Taemin’s concert security under fire as former guard reveals agency control behind fan treatment
A former security guard working at a Taemin concert earlier this year has gone public, saying fan treatment by concert staff wasn’t the guards’ call—it was all dictated by the agency.
The ex-guard revealed he was hired about a year and a half ago to work at an idol concert at the new Inspire Arena. He said the agency sent detailed instructions on how security should treat fans, including “be polite to fans, don’t speak harshly,” and even provided scripted dialogues.
“I had worked as a security guard when I was younger… The way we interacted with fans? It was all instructed from above. There were clear guidelines sent down: be polite to fans, don’t speak harshly, and so on — very specific instructions on how we should act.”
— Former security guard
Despite initial hiccups due to the brand-new venue’s logistics, the guard said they were told firmly to handle fans gently, resulting in no complaints about the security team itself.
“There was some internal power struggle and things running a bit messily. But because the organizers gave firm instructions to treat fans gently, there were no complaints about the security team… At that time, the client (agency) even gave us sample dialogue to use when talking gently with fans. That’s how committed they were to handling things softly.”
— Former security guard
He hesitated to name the artist at first, fearing fan wars. But with rumors swirling, he confirmed it was Taemin’s concert at Inspire Arena.
This testimony sheds light on how much entertainment companies control concert security behavior—putting the spotlight on agencies rather than just on security staff.
The controversy began amid wider backlash over aggressive fan ID checks and harsh treatment at K-Pop events. Taemin’s agency has yet to comment as the situation gains traction online.
