NCT member Jaemin’s White Day gift to fans has unexpectedly sparked controversy after some of the vouchers were reportedly used before fans could claim them.
According to reports on the 17th, an internal investigation by Shinsegae Group found that an employee at E-Mart had redeemed nine gift cards worth 100,000 KRW each (approx. 67 USD) before the store opened.
The vouchers were part of a fan gift Jaemin shared on March 14th through a paid fan communication platform. The singer posted images containing barcodes for 30 Shinsegae mobile gift cards worth 100,000 won each, totaling 3 million KRW (approx. 2,020 USD).
Fans could use the codes on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Today is White Day,” Jaemin wrote to fans at the time. “I was supposed to give something earlier, but it took a little time because I had to sort out the cards. Happy White Day.”
However, some fans who visited E-Mart the following morning to exchange the mobile vouchers for physical gift certificates discovered that many had already been used before the store officially opened.
Reports that most of the transactions occurred at an E-Mart location in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, fueled speculation online that a store employee may have redeemed the vouchers in advance.
Shinsegae Group said it is currently investigating the situation.
“We are conducting an internal investigation to determine the exact circumstances,” the company said in a statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience caused to customers who use E-Mart. Based on the results, we will take action in accordance with our company policies and strengthen management procedures related to the issuance and exchange of gift cards.”
The incident has also sparked debate among fans about the giveaway format itself, with some pointing out that first-come, first-served gift code events can be vulnerable to misuse.
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