A controversy has unexpectedly emerged surrounding gift vouchers that Jaemin of NCT DREAM gave to fans. After reports surfaced that some of the vouchers were used in large quantities at a specific store, fans began raising suspicions, and E-Mart has reportedly launched an internal investigation.
On March 14, to celebrate White Day, Jaemin shared 30 mobile gift vouchers worth 100,000 won each through a fan communication platform. The total value reached 3 million won. The vouchers were shared with barcode images, effectively allowing fans to redeem them on a first-come, first-served basis.
After the news spread, some fans visited stores such as E-Mart the next morning, March 15, hoping to exchange the mobile vouchers for physical ones. However, the situation quickly escalated when many vouchers were reportedly already used before stores even opened at 10 a.m.
In particular, online communities and social media began circulating claims that a large number of vouchers had been used at the E-Mart Gumi Store in Gumi, South Korea. This led some fans to suspect that store employees might have redeemed the vouchers before opening hours, further fueling the controversy.
As the debate intensified, a post from someone claiming to be the person who used the vouchers also appeared online. The individual stated that they had redeemed nine vouchers together with an acquaintance and asked fans to stop filing complaints. The post even claimed that a store employee had been fired over the issue. However, the authenticity of this claim has not been verified, leading to mixed reactions from netizens.
According to Busan Ilbo on March 16, a related official said the company is currently conducting an internal investigation to determine exactly what happened. They added that further actions will be considered once the results of the investigation are confirmed. The company also plans to strengthen its management policies regarding the issuance and exchange of gift vouchers to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, Jaemin reportedly attempted to calm the situation by sending additional gift vouchers to some fans after the controversy began. However, the incident has also raised broader concerns that “first-come, first-served” events using publicly shared barcodes could potentially be exploited.
E-Mart stated that it is currently reviewing the relevant transaction records and circumstances surrounding the case, and the exact details are expected to be clarified once the investigation is completed.
Sources: Nate