He weathered the 'drug scandal' too… T.O.P's 20-year fanbase turns away, prompting a belated fix to the barn after the horse has bolted [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

As a 20-year-old fan site for T.O.P, a singer formerly of the group BIGBANG, declared its closure, his agency belatedly issued an apology and moved to manage the situation. However, it remains uncertain whether they can win back the hearts of fans who have turned away.

Previously, T.O.P's fan site 'Choi Seung-hyun.com' announced on social media on the 9th that it would end its operations after 20 years. The site stated that it had opened on August 24, 2006, and continued its activities for approximately 20 years while supporting T.O.P, but decided to cease operations because "we can no longer tolerate T.O.P's and his agency's disregard for reality, evasion of responsibility, and attitude of taking fans' dedication for granted."

In particular, they claimed that a channel for communication with fans was virtually non-existent, stating, "While receiving fan support, they did not establish any official inquiry channels, community, or email address. Inquiries from overseas fans also poured in to us, forcing us to take on the role of a liaison between the company and the fans."

They also expressed dissatisfaction that 'Choi Seung-hyun.com' had been handling duties that should have been the agency's responsibility, such as album promotion and fan events. They further bolstered these claims by revealing messages and emails exchanged with agency officials.

Regarding the recent controversy over the cancellation of a fan exhibition, they shared, "We prepared for the exhibition with a budget of approximately 9 million won, but low reservation rates increased the burden on the operators, leading to cancellations that made it difficult to proceed with the event."

However, they emphasized that this was not due to rumors of a romance between T.O.P and Nana. They stated, "It is difficult to accept characterizing this as 'the actions of fans angry about his romance.'" T.O.P recently acknowledged a romantic relationship with actress Nana, who appeared alongside him in the music video for his recent solo album. They noted that the closure of the site was not due to privacy issues, but rather accumulated lack of communication.

Furthermore, they directed a sharp remark at T.O.P, stating, "An album is not a gift or an honor bestowed upon fans," and adding, "We ask that you put aside the arrogance of assuming that fans will naturally move in the way you desire."

During his activities with BIGBANG, T.O.P was loved for his distinctive vocal tone, strong personality rap, and powerful stage presence. Along with the team's global recognition, he established his own unique color as a solo artist and built a solid fan base. However, in 2017, he received a suspended prison sentence on charges of drug use. He subsequently withdrew from the team and temporarily halted his activities before making a comeback through the Netflix series 'Squid Game 2'.

Given that fans have stood by T.O.P for a long time despite various controversies surrounding him, it appears that considerable time will be needed to win back hearts that have turned away. In response, his agency Topspot Pictures stated on social media on the 10th, "We deeply apologize for causing disappointment and regret because news of our activities and communication did not reach you sufficiently," adding, "We will re-examine the situation and prepare improvement plans." This marked a belated official apology and expression of willingness to improve after fans' dissatisfaction surfaced.

However, fans' disappointment does not seem to be easily subsiding. 'Choi Seung-hyun.com' criticized, stating, "We ask that you put aside the arrogance of assuming that fans will naturally move in the way you desire," and adding, "Fans' love and support are not something to be used when convenient and ignored when inconvenient." This followed the fan site's declaration of closure after supporting T.O.P for a long time, along with public criticism of the agency's communication methods and attitude.

As such, the trust built by fans over a long period may be difficult to restore with an apology alone. In particular, given that the declaration of closure came amid continued fan support, it has become important whether the agency will prepare specific improvement plans in the future and put them into practice. Attention is now focused on whether this apology will remain a one-off response or serve as an opportunity to reorganize the way they communicate with fans.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original