K-pop fans want SBS to #ApologizetoWendy, thank Solar for discovering her after December accident
#ApologizeToWendy is trending on Twitter and it does not have anything to do with daytime television personality Wendy Williams. It has to do with Kim Yong-sun, better known by the stage name Solar, a South Korean singer and songwriter, and the leader of the girl group Mamamoo. And it has to do with Shon Seung-wan, known professionally as Wendy, a South Korean singer who is a member of the girl group Red Velvet.
Before #ApologizeToWendy began, another trend had taken shape. It was #ThankYouSolar. Going through the many thousands of tweets under these two trends (several of which are fancams), this is what appears to have happened:
In December last year, Wendy was hospitalized after suffering an accident while rehearsing with Red Velvet. The band was preparing for a Christmas Day performance at South Korean broadcaster SBS's annual ‘Gayo Daejun’ event. During their rehearsal, Wendy fell from the stage.
According to a statement released by SM Entertainment, Red Velvet’s management company, “Wendy was immediately taken to the hospital for a thorough examination, and she sustained injuries to her face and fractures in her pelvis and wrist on the right side of her body. She has undergone emergency treatment and is currently awaiting additional examinations. As her health comes first, we will focus on her treatment.”
Earlier last month, the group informed everyone of Wendy’s improved health: "Though Wendy has gone far in her recovery, she is still receiving hospital treatment. She's improved a lot, and she's currently recovering and receiving treatment."
On Saturday, May 2, Solar, in a broadcast to fans, talked about Wendy’s accident. It was revealed that it was she, not girls from SBS, who found Wendy after her injury and came to her rescue. Fans of both artists could not thank her enough. They gushed about Solar, “Thank you for being the first person to go to Wendy during the accident. thank you for speaking up even if it means it could hurt your career.”
They wrote things like, “Thank you, Solar. we're scared to think of what else would've happened if you hadn't been there, and you continued onstage professionally even after it happened.” Another fan wrote, “Even if there might be a consequence, she still chose to do what's right and let everybody to know the real story we have no choice but to STAN AND STAN HARDER.”
Gratitude towards Solar, however, soon took the shape of anger towards SBS. This is where the #ApologizeToWendy hashtag began. Fans wrote, “I want to thank Solar for being the first one to respond on Wendy's situation. And on the other hand, I want to tell @SBSNOW sucks when it comes to taking care of idols and having a lack of responsibility to the idols.”
Another fan wrote, “#ApologizeToWendy Solar was the one who found her fallen off that stupid 3m platform holding hard her mic but you didn’t even care to watch the performance. And you said everything was safe and you checked everything?? f*** you. @SBSNOW.”
The anger towards SBS was very visible in almost every tweet. For example, “‘after the accident on the 25th, the production crew stepped up and controlled the situation on-site, calling 119’. Mf****** didn’t mention how they weren’t the first person to notice the incident when they are the crews f****** piece of shit #ApologizeToWendy @SBSNOW..”
One of the most shared tweets under the trend said, “SBS said there was a staff with wendy, if it was true the staff would have immediately noticed first. They said they immediately called ambulance when they didn’t even KNOW it happened before solar told them. every statement they release is a lie #ApologizeToWendy,” adding, “like that staff not realizing Wendy has fallen from 3m height and they were like 'huh where’d she go?' Shrugging and continuing minding their own business.. TIME TO SUE.”