Hey there, we need to talk—as in talk. We've been seeing a surge in incredibly rude and inappropriate behavior towards our fave celebrities. And unfortunately, the latest case happened to involve our dearest BINI members.
In case you haven't heard, celebrities are humans too. They also deserve basic human decency and respect for their personal space. But in some videos circulating online these days, it seems that fans—or people, in general—have forgotten that BINI members also have private lives even though they've been catapulted into superstardom.
Fans' rude behavior towards BINI members
Incident #1: Fans mobbed BINI Maloi during a family dinner
We were appalled upon seeing a video of fans circling around Maloi, taking photos with her at the center of them all. Clearly, though, Maloi was not amused by the situation. As seen in the undated video, the P-pop idol was having supposed-to-be private time with her family.
Taken aback by the influx of people swarming around, the celebrity had no choice but to stay there. But she wasn't smiling like her usual bubbly persona. She was slightly bowing down as the camera flashes went off and people were posing behind her. It's not a scenario that should be taken lightly—or normalized.
Incident #2: Someone went a little too close for comfort toward BINI Aiah
Just recently as well, a video of BINI Aiah arriving at a public restaurant went viral. We were hoping it was because of something fun about Aiah, but to our dismay, it was a male fan invading Aiah's personal space. TBH, we're not even sure if we can safely call them fans—because fans shouldn't be harassing their faves.
Several people were filming Aiah when she walked into the place. But one guy stood out because of how close he got to Aiah. He seems to have forced his way too close to Aiah's face. Aiah was shocked, even letting out a huge yelp. And personally, it felt so uncomfortable to watch.
Stay back, give celebrities a peaceful life.
Along with our love for P-pop idols, we have our fair share of protective moments for our favorite South Korean celebs. We all know by now that Korean celebs are prone to be followed by what they call sasaengs or obsessive fans in layman's terms. These fans follow K-celebs around even if it's not part of the artist's official schedule, which is to say, they do some serious stalking.
Some instances include fans calling K-pop idols nonstop, tracking their flight schedules, sitting beside them on a plane, and even camping outside the artist's agency office! They also take photos or videos of them while all this is happening. It's as if they get satisfaction in capturing the celebrities in their most vulnerable state.
Sasaengs are also one of the reasons why most K-celebs prefer to keep their personal—and dating—lives under wraps. Because what they do outside their jobs as celebrities are always magnified for the public.
We won't be surprised if BINI starts having these kinds of fans now that their fame is peaking. But it shouldn't be normalized. Rather, this is something we as a fandom (or actually, even just as decent individuals) should seriously address. Of course, we understand (and feel!) fans' overflowing love for their idols. And there will always be instances when it'll get a little too intense for everyone. But the instances with BINI Aiah and BINI Maloi weren't done out of love—it's outright harassment.
In Korea, agencies take legal action against obsessive fans who can't exhibit proper fan behavior towards artists. As for us in the Philippines, there are certain laws that penalize harassment and stalking. Republic Act No. 11313 or the "Act Defining Gender-Based Sexual Harassment in Streets, Public Spaces, Online, Workplaces, and Educational or Training Institutions" provides proper measures for such behaviors.
In this law, stalking is defined to be "conduct directed at a person involving the repeated visual or physical proximity, non-consensual communication, or a combination thereof that cause or will likely cause a person to fear for one’s own safety or the safety of others, or to suffer emotional distress." Keyword: non-consensual. So, if they don't agree with how you're (obsessively) interacting with them, consequently making them feel unsafe and uncomfortable, then that's actually stalking.
There's also something called "informational privacy," which is discussed in a journal article entitled "Zones of Privacy: How Private?" by Atty. Khersien Y. Bautista and Atty. Llewellyn L. Llanillo. As with anyone, artistas have the right to informational privacy, which refers to "the interest in avoiding disclosure of personal matters." There are two aspects to it: The first is "the right not to have private information disclosed" and the other is "the right to live freely without surveillance and intrusion." So yes, even if they're famous—even if their dance challenges are taking over the Internet—they still have the right to keep to themselves.
So if things really go out of line—which, in our opinion, it already did for BINI—there are laws that can be used for their protection.
"But I get excited about my faves. How should I react?"
Listen, it's completely understandable for fans to go gaga whenever they see their faves in public—but there's an exception. You can always see them and reach out to them during official events. In BINI's case, they do mall shows, perform at local events, hold sold-out concerts, and more. It's fine if you get a spot to see them in those kinds of public engagements with the girl group.
But even when they're almost at your reach, you should still exercise poised and respectful behavior. Contain your gigil, everyone. Be content and don't be too greedy about these things.
So, what if you "unexpectedly" encounter them in public? Even if seeing them up close might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for you, think hard as to how you would want to approach them, or if you should even approach them at all.
One of the golden rules is: Put yourself in their shoes. Think about how they would feel if a random fan came up to them and asked for a photo, or if someone got very close to them. Think about them first.
You can respectfully ask them for a photo, but don't get too close unless they're the ones who initiated moving closer. Don't bring too much attention to them as well, since meeting them unexpectedly is not on their official schedules. And of course, if you happen to take a photo or video of them (or with them), we suggest that you upload it a couple of hours or days after your lucky encounter. That way, it will give celebrities the chance to still stroll around, without the worries of attracting attention.
Most importantly, if a celebrity declines your request for a selfie or a photo, let them be. Don't get mad. For the record, we're not entitled to get photos with them if we see them in public—no one is. If they say no, then at least you saw them up close! After all, being a fan is not a competition of who got better pictures with their faves, or who had a nicer conversation with them.
TBH, everything we've already said are things that shouldn't actually be explained anymore. In other words, right conduct towards celebrities should be a given. It's automatic. Celebrities—in this thousand-word essay's case: BINI—aren't just people who perform for a living. They are human beings who deserve every bit of respect & decency. Thought you all needed to know that.
