Government Services Paralyzed by Misinformation...ENHYPEN Fans Protest via NPS

ENHYPEN fans brought down the phone and email services of the National Pension Service (NPS) using false information. The NPS experienced service disruption as it received over 1,500 emails and international calls within two hours.

Some X users posted false claims stating that the NPS was a major shareholder of HYBE, ENHYPEN’s agency. Using these claims, fans shared the NPS customer support number online to launch their protests.

Kim Sung-joo, chairman and CEO of the NPS, disclosed the situation on Facebook and asked fans to cease further protests. Chairman Kim stated, “The NPS does not get involved in the formation of K-pop groups or member-related issues,” adding that such protests caused inconvenience for domestic and foreign workers who intended to seek pension consultations.

As of the end of September, HYBE actually holds a 7.54% stake in the NPS, making it the third-largest shareholder. The largest shareholder is BANG SI-HYUK, the founder of HYBE, followed by the game developer NETMARBLE.

Heeseung of ENHYPEN announced his departure from the group on Tuesday to pursue a solo career. Enraged by this news, fans mistakenly targeted the NPS for their protests based on false information.

Tech-savvy K-pop fan groups have historically used social media to express protests or support for their interests. However, the NPS incident created a rare case where a government public service was paralyzed. Last year, NewJeans fans also brought down the fax services of the Ministry of Culture using a similar method.