The New York Times reports, "An intuitive competition in front of the hotel, which is as difficult as a gold medal." [K-EYES]

*This content was translated by AI.

"I'm not here to watch the Olympics. I'm here to see SUNGHOON"...Milan fans as seen by The New York Times

"What's the purpose of coming to the Olympics?" I'm here to see Sung Hoon."

The New York Times (NYT) highlighted K-pop star ENHYPEN Sung-hoon, who visited the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, and his enthusiastic fans.

The New York Times published an article titled "An Olympian Quest in Milan: A Glimpsing a K-Pop Superstar." "The Olympics are full of celebrities, but this level of commitment is rare," said reporter Andrew Ke.

Sung Hoon visited Milan as a torchbearer and South Korean team ambassador. Sung Hoon has been a figure skater for 10 years before his debut and is called the "Ice Prince" among fans.

The New York Times described the sidewalk in front of a hotel in downtown Milan as "a stadium." Since last week, fans started lining up side by side next to the hotel revolving door at 7 a.m. every day, and stayed there until after midnight.

"Cross-country skiing is not the only endurance sport held in northern Italy," the reporter said, referring to the fans' queues to the Olympic Games. Seeing Sung Hoon pass by is "winning a bronze medal," getting an autograph is "silver medal," and taking a selfie is "as rare as winning a gold medal."

"Enhyphen doesn't have a concert here," said Maressa Pacheco, a 24-year-old postman from Milan. "So it's my only chance to see Sung Hoon." She had been standing in front of the hotel since morning, admitting that she was "a little tired and hungry," but stayed. She speaks Portuguese, Italian, and English and is currently learning Korean as well.

Milan accountant Beatrice Tancini, 34, was signed by Sung Hoon on Friday afternoon but spent another six hours in front of the hotel on Saturday. "It's been hard because there are cold and rainy days these days," he said. "But Sung-hoon is really nice to people and fans, so it's worth waiting for a long time."

Shiyu Mao, 19, a Shanghai native and studying design in Turin, was delighted when he handed over a photo of Sung Hoon so that another fan could get an autograph. Because she only brought empty paper.

The New York Times reporter vividly captured the tension in front of the hotel. At around 1 p.m., fans suddenly became quiet when a large man, who appeared to be Sung-hoon's bodyguard, looked over the door. He added, "I held my cell phone tightly like an athlete's preparation posture."

Thirty minutes later, Sung-hoon came out to watch the game. He came out through the revolving door, and fans waved and took pictures, holding out en-hyphenated goods while standing in line. Sung-hoon smiled and waved, but did not stop walking and headed to the waiting Mercedes Benz sprinter.

"The adrenaline spewed out, but I also felt a sense of despondency. I've been waiting so long, but it went by so quickly. It's over now," the reporter said.

When asked if he came to see the Olympics, S.M. Kim (28), who took a vacation from Seoul and visited Milan, replied, "I came to see Sung Hoon." A few hours before Sung-hoon returns, she said, "Maybe I can go see the speed skating."

Sung-hoon also drew attention at a press conference at the Olympic Media Center. Young volunteers watched his brief news conference with their mouths open, the New York Times reported.

Sung-hoon said in Korean, "I think we only exist with the support of the fans, whether it's sports or music," adding, "I hope the fans will always be happy when they see me."

The New York Times reported that fans exchange information online, identify Sung Hoon's public schedule through social media and Korean news reports, and prepare "appropriate equipment" such as goods, cameras, and folding chairs.

During Milan Fashion Week, Pacheco said, "There are times when we are ruthless with each other," with some fans monopolizing the star's location information. She also said of the way some see her as a stalker, "I'm very polite and I never cross the line. We always keep our distance," he stressed.

The New York Times reported this week that the atmosphere in front of the hotel was generally friendly.

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*This content was translated by AI.