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What is Inkigayo Sandwich? K-pop idols' secret to dating other idols REVEALED

Fans joked about K-pop idols secretly sneaking their phone numbers inside the Inkigayo sandwiches of other idols in order to date them

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: The K-pop industry is known for having extremely strict rules when it comes to how artists live their personal lives. With artists being called "idols", oftentimes, the industry forgets that they are normal people too which is why the rules that direct their lives appear much more stringent. Dating bans and K-pop go hand in hand where in some cases, K-pop idols are contractually banned from dating, and in other cases, idols date in secret while keeping an untarnished public image.

However, there is no harm in idols finding love and dating. There have been numerous reports about idols trying to find innovative ways to date other idols in secret. The infamous 'Inkigayo Sandwich' was revealed to be a means for idols to secretly date other idols. SBS' music show called 'Inkigayo' is where many K-pop groups and idols come together to promote their recent albums. This is also where idols spend a lot of time backstage in specific greenrooms.

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K-pop idols date in secret using Inkigayo sandwich

A lot of behind-the-scenes videos from popular second and third-generation idols show these artists eating a similar kind of sandwich when they attended the 'Inkigayo' music show. At first, fans felt FOMO (fear of missing out) when they too wished they could eat the sandwiches. Since the sandwich was only available at the SBS cafeteria, only idols and staff members are allowed to eat the sandwiches prepared for them to snack on during breaks.

But, there was more to it than just being a meal for exhausted idols as the sandwich serve as a ploy for idols to exchange numbers with each other. In 2018, Seungri, a former member of BIGBANG, revealed that idols would often place a piece of paper with their phone numbers inside the sandwich that is intended to be served to the idol they like.

Since idols often have eyes on them on a constant, it becomes difficult for these pop stars to talk to each other without being embroiled in dating rumors. After a video of Seventeen's Mingyu was leaked by a sasaeng, it proves why idols tend to resort to such secretive ploys in order to date freely.

How to make the Inkigayo Sandwich?

Other than serving the purpose of enabling idols to date in secret, the Inkigayo sandwich is what fans call a tasty meal that is made in the form of a triple-decker sandwich with three layers of thin fillings namely, a potato-egg salad, strawberry jam, and cabbage surimi (imitation crab) coleslaw. These fillings are served between four slices of crustless white bread and wrapped tightly in cling wrap and served to idols, sometimes with phone numbers in them.

'He's swallowing the phone number in the Inkigayo sandwich'

Fans have their own opinions about the infamous 'Inkigayo sandwich' as one fan said, "He is chewing and swallowing the phone number paper in his inkigayo sandwich." Another fan said, "Disguising myself as an inkigayo sandwich so i can sneak at the backstage room and lock ive and blackpink together in one room."

One more fan joked, "Ateez when they see an inkigayo sandwich with a slip of paper sticking out." One fan said, "Jungwoo when he bits into his inkigayo sandwich and tastes the paper." One more fan said, "A clip of idol eating inkigayo sandwich with confession paper inside it."

Another fan joked, "First time making homemade inkigayo sandwich for lunch oh look theres a piece of paper inside." One fan joked, "Halsey when she finds a piece of paper in her inkigayo sandwich." Another fan said, "Ateez’s inkigayo sandwiches are gonna be filled with phone numbers after today’s events."

One fan recalled, "The day the inkigayo sandwiches story was exposed was so funny, 1 side had people theorizing about who gives their number to who, the other side were the people saying the sandwich was nasty and then you had those making jokes about who was so oblivious they ate the paper too."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.