Japanese housewife lost all her savings because of fake kpop idol

Sometimes being a fan means making sacrifices, but some fans sometimes go too far for their favorite stars.

This is the case of a Japanese housewife who lost her entire life savings to a fake kpop idol.

According to media reports on March 5, a man claiming to be Korean, and more specifically an “underground” (indie) kpop idol, managed to trick a Japanese housewife into using all her life savings on him.

Apparently the 44-year-old woman we call A spent no less than 2.5 million yen or more than €17,000 on the man who claims to be an idol.

In Japan, “underground” idol culture is a phenomenon where fans can meet idols closer than with big corporate idols, and without paying a lot of money.

Fans typically have 100 seconds with the idol during which time they can take photos, shake hands, and chat. In Japan there are around 10,000 idols who are active as “underground idols”. In the case of male underground idols, they are called “Menchika”.

The 44-year-old housewife lives in Tokyo with her daughter and husband and has fallen in love with kpop and male idols. She met “B” (19), who claimed to be an underground Korean kpop idol, when she was in Korea Town in Tokyo.

A said: “It started when I received a flyer for a show. I was thrilled when I saw the words, “Come and see the performance of a member who looks like a Korean idol. »

After that, A visited the supposed idol every week and spent around 270 euros per ticket. She competed with other women and spent big bucks every week to start dating “B” after six months.

However, B was not who he claimed. He was not Korean but Japanese and spoke fluent Korean.

A talked about the moment she discovered the truth: “The moment I found out the truth, I felt stupid. I’ve spent all my life savings, but I’ll take that as a lesson. »