$365K fan gifts for IVE’s Jang Won-young stir heated online debate
IVE's Jang Won-young / Xportsnews
IVE member Jang Won-young has become the center of an online debate after fans revealed that she received birthday gifts worth about 500 million won ($365,000).
Jang celebrated her birthday Sunday, and her Chinese fan community released a list of presents prepared for her. The collection included luxury-brand handbags, clothes, shoes, hats, accessories, perfumes, cameras and gaming consoles, along with character merchandise, phone cases, pajamas and other small personal items.
According to reports, the total value of the gifts was around 500 million won, sparking a heated discussion online.
IVE's Jang Won-young / Xportsnews
Gift-giving to celebrities, known as “jogong” in Korea, has been a long-standing part of fan culture. In the past, fan communities openly shared detailed lists of expensive birthday support packages, and celebrities were often compared based on the value of gifts they received.
However, public sentiment has shifted in recent years, with many criticizing the practice of sending high-priced gifts to celebrities who already earn significant incomes. Some fans and agencies have adopted a no-gift policy, encouraging fans to send handwritten letters instead.
In Jang’s case, reactions have been divided. Critics commented, “Why doesn’t the agency forbid it?” and “I can’t understand this culture.” Others defended the practice, saying, “It’s not like she asked for it,” and “Fans did this because they wanted to show their love.”
Some agencies now officially reject such gifts, while others limit them to small tokens of appreciation. With the extravagant scale of Jang’s birthday support, the debate over celebrity gift culture has resurfaced once again.
This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.