YouTuber Potato Turtle Apologizes for Unannounced Visit to Jennie’s Agency

The controversy centered on a video uploaded by Song, who manages a channel with approximately 360,000 subscribers. In the footage, Song traveled to the Hannam-dong neighborhood of Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to visit OA Entertainment. She justified the trip by noting that she lives in nearby Haebangchon, stating, We share the common ground of being in Yongsan.

Upon arriving at the agency, Song rang the doorbell and presented a handwritten letter, a bouquet of flowers, and heart-shaped balloons. An employee informed her that Jennie was not present, at which point Song handed over the gifts and left. While Song described the act as a gesture of sincerity, the online reaction was swift and critical.

The 100-Item Bucket List and OA Entertainment

Song categorized the goals by difficulty, contrasting relatively simple tasks like seeing the aurora in Iceland with the realistically difficult objective of sharing a coffee with the BLACKPINK star.

“I wanted to challenge what seemed impossible. I wanted to knock on doors and find my own path. Of course, I did not think that visiting the company or attending a performance would actually allow me to have coffee with Jennie unnie.”

Song Ji-yoon, YouTuber Potato Turtle

Song claimed her approach was influenced by overseas content where celebrities are frequently shouted out. However, this cultural interpretation clashed with the strict boundaries of K-pop fan culture. Netizens accused her of crossing a line, with some stating that visiting a company without a reason is rude and wrong and resembles the behavior of a stalker fan, according to Sportschosun.

Concert Etiquette and the Coffee Sign

The agency visit was not the only incident fueling the backlash. Song also attended an outdoor concert where she displayed a large sign that read, Jennie unnie, want to have coffee?

In her apology, Song attributed this mistake to her lack of experience, noting it was the first time in her life she had attended such a performance. She acknowledged that she lacked understanding of performance culture and promised to adhere to proper audience etiquette moving forward.

Sasaeng Allegations and the Public Apology

The most severe criticism involved comparisons to sasaeng behavior—a term used to describe obsessive fans who invade the private lives of idols. After the video was set to private, Song issued a detailed statement on social media on July 14, reflecting on her rash behavior.

“We failed to realize that visiting the company without prior arrangement and delivering letters and bouquets could be perceived as stalking. Our intention was to convey our sincerity by delivering a letter and creating a video of the process, but we recognize that our approach was wrong.”

Song Ji-yoon, YouTuber Potato Turtle

Song explicitly denied accusations that she was exploiting Jennie for views or content creation. She maintained that her intentions were rooted in genuine admiration and that she was simply too ignorant about idol fan culture. She concluded her statement by expressing a desire to use the incident as a lesson to become a better person.

Summary of the Controversy

The incident highlights a persistent tension between the desire of high-profile content creators to “challenge the impossible” and the stringent privacy protections surrounding K-pop artists. While Song framed her actions as a quest for sincerity, the consensus among critics was that such behavior could encourage others to imitate invasive tactics.

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