Got7 fans worried for Jackson Wang's safety in Hong Kong

South Korean group Got7's Jackson Wang holds pro-Beijing views and fans, worried for his safety, want the group's Hong Kong concerts to be cancelled. PHOTO: JACKSONWANG 852G7/INSTAGRAM

HONG KONG • The arrival time in Hong Kong of Jackson Wang and the other members of South Korean boy band Got7 has reportedly been leaked.

This has prompted fans of the group to ask the agency which manages Got7 to cancel their concerts in Hong Kong on Aug 31 and Sept 1.

They fear that given the tense situation in Hong Kong, which has been hit by demonstrations, the safety of Wang, who has been lambasted for his pro-Beijing views, cannot be ignored.

Fans are worried that Wang, 25, could be confronted by critics, with talk online that the singer should be "detained" and taught a lesson, according to allkpop portal.

Wang, who was born in Hong Kong, recently posted on Weibo that he is a guardian of the Chinese flag, after news came that the flag had been thrown into Victoria Harbour recently by demonstrators.

His comments were seen by some as trying to win favour among fans in the huge China market.

Apart from music, he is also a spokesman for a variety of brands, such as Fendi fashion and Cartier jewellery.

Photos posted online also show the singer with the Chinese flag in a concert in Chile last month, a move that has drawn widespread praise from Chinese netizens.

But others noted that Got7 are marketed as a Korean boy band, not a group from China.

If the Got7 shows - part of their world tour - get canned, they would follow in the wake of another disruption, with South Korean singer Kang Daniel putting his meet-up with fans in Hong Kong on Sunday on hold.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 16, 2019, with the headline Got7 fans worried for Jackson Wang's safety in Hong Kong. Subscribe