Influencer Mina Chan Dies by Suicide On Livestream After Facing Online Harassment From ENHYPEN Fans

A Japanese K-pop influencer known as Mina Chan died in Seoul after an apparent suicide during a TikTok livestream, with police receiving an emergency report in the early hours of 5 August after concerns were raised about her safety during the broadcast.

The 26-year-old, who ran a popular ENHYPEN fan account under the handle sweeter_nk, had recently apologised for her behaviour at a US concert that sparked intense online criticism from fellow fans.

Mina Chan's Enhypen Fandom and the Concert Incident

Chan was a well-known figure in ENHYPEN's global fandom, known as ENGENE, and was particularly associated with content focused on Japanese member Ni-ki. Based in South Korea, she frequently attended fansigns and concerts, and her social media presence attracted tens of thousands of followers who tracked her interactions with the group.

The backlash began after an ENHYPEN concert in the United States in late July. During the show, Chan threw a bouquet of sunflowers towards the stage, which member Sunoo caught and posed with.

According to multiple fan accounts circulating online, she then became visibly upset and repeatedly asked Sunoo to pass the flowers to Ni-ki, a moment that was clipped and shared widely. Some viewers interpreted her actions as disruptive and accused her of trying to engineer a personal moment with the members.

Ni-ki later addressed concert etiquette during a 30 July Weverse livestream, speaking generally about attendees who seemed more focused on being noticed by the group than enjoying the performance.

'Everywhere we go there are a few people who really want us to notice them,' he said, according to translations circulated online. He did not name Chan or directly reference the flower incident. Still, many fans interpreted his remarks as referring to her, although neither Ni-ki nor BELIFT LAB has confirmed that connection.

Chan subsequently issued a lengthy apology on X, writing that she felt she had 'taken advantage of Sunoo's kindness' and regretted her 'rude behaviour' in America.

She explained that she had prepared sunflowers for Sunoo and roses for Ni-ki, and that her wish to see a two-shot of the pair had led her to act in a way she considered inappropriate. 'By attending ENHYPEN's fansigns multiple times, I had deluded myself into thinking I was closer to the members than I actually was,' she wrote, before thanking her supporters.

Police Investigation and Questions Over Online Harassment

The situation intensified online in the days that followed. Chan temporarily closed her fan account on 1 August and, according to reports and social media posts, received hostile messages, including comments related to self-harm.

On 5 August, at around 5.33 a.m., she went live on TikTok from her residence in Seoul. An emergency report was made after concerns arose that she was attempting to harm herself, and police were dispatched to the scene.

Reports citing South Korean authorities said Seoul's Yongsan Police Station received an emergency call concerning a Japanese woman in her 20s during a livestream. Chan was subsequently found dead, and police began investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.

Her younger sister subsequently posted an emotional statement on Instagram, describing her as 'always kind and warm to everyone she met' and asking that she be kept 'in your thoughts and prayers'.

South Korean authorities have not established a causal link between the reported online harassment and Chan's death. While South Korea has laws covering offences including defamation and insult, there has been no indication in the available reporting that anyone has been charged in connection with the online abuse Chan allegedly received.

Ni-ki did not identify Chan when making his comments about concert behaviour, and neither ENHYPEN nor its agency, BELIFT LAB, has publicly confirmed that his remarks concerned her. The available reporting also does not establish that Ni-ki was responsible for the subsequent harassment.

In the aftermath, tributes have poured in from fans mourning Chan and condemning online bullying within K-pop communities. The case has also prompted debate among fans about the harassment Chan reportedly experienced and the way Ni-ki's remarks were interpreted and circulated online.

The tragedy has reignited debate about boundaries between idols and fans, as well as online harassment and the speed at which speculation can spread through highly active fandoms. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Chan's death.

While reports document the online backlash she experienced before her death, authorities have not publicly concluded that the harassment caused or directly contributed to it.