An idol has apologized for saying he was happy to see his fans at the airport after allegedly receiving private messages from fans who were unhappy.
Hong Kong boy group MIRROR | @makerville.official/Instagram
The idol is Ian Chan, a member of Hong Kong’s top boy idol group MIRROR. The group is currently in the middle of a world tour and finished their stops in the UK earlier this month.
When Ian returned to Hong Kong after the concerts, he was greeted by many fans who waited for him at the airport for hours.
Shortly after, Ian sent a message to his fans in his Telegram group. Telegram is the communication platform local artists use to interact with their fans.
It must’ve been tough for you all.
I was so happy to see you all as soon as I got off the plane.
– Ian Chan
Although many fans were happy to see this message, some fans from the UK allegedly expressed their disappointment in the idol through private messages. This not only prompted the idol to apologize but also to reveal why he’s never been one to express his feelings.
“If the message made my fans in the UK feel bad, I sincerely apologize.
However, I hope everyone stops overthinking the meaning of what’s said sometimes. Just because I said I was happy to see my fans once I got back to Hong Kong, it doesn’t mean I was unhappy because I didn’t say this when I got to the UK.
I think people who know me well know I’m a grateful person. Regardless of where you are, I always feel very thankful and happy for everyone’s support.
It was not my intention to make everyone feel bad. This is a reason why I’m terrified to express my feelings. Sometimes, knowing how others would interpret my words is impossible.
My brain was not functioning well after a long-haul flight, so I didn’t think about it carefully. Please forgive me.”
– Ian Chan
Other fans of Ian expressed anger towards the fans who messaged him privately upon seeing the apology from the idol.
F*CK you! He had to apologize because you all blamed him for something he didn’t actually do! Are you all happy now? He finally opened up a little bit and shared his feelings, but you f*ckers ruined it! What he said was very neutral. If you felt sad because of it, how do you usually live? Are you allowed to do this to him just because he’s a celebrity?
– Fan
“My heart is wrenching.” “Thank you for saying everything I wanted to say. I’m so f*cking mad.” “It’s rare for him to be open and send such a sweet message. What’s wrong with them?” “Right, we waited so long for him to come online and send us a message. Why did they have to scold him through DMs?” “I really want to know how many people DMed him like that, to make him feel so bad that he had to explain the situation.”
While many fans started sending him encouraging messages after reading his apology, whether the idol will feel comfortable expressing his feelings to his fans again remains to be seen.
He allegedly received private messages from fans who were disappointed.
