NCT's Jaemin's gift cards were misused at emart, prompting an investigation as fans raise concerns about the situation.
March/16/2026 18:20
It has become clear that gift certificates given by NCT's Jaemin to fans were used in large quantities at specific stores. Fans have raised questions, and the major South Korean supermarket emart, where the gift certificates were used, is currently conducting an internal investigation. On the 14th, in celebration of White Day, Jaemin shared 30 SHINSEGAE mobile gift certificates (100,000 won each, about 1,000 USD) through a communication platform with fans. This amounted to a total of 3 million won (about 30,000 USD) in gift certificates, which were in a format displaying barcodes and could be used on a first-come, first-served basis. Following this news, some fans visited exchange locations like emart on the morning of the 15th to exchange the gift certificates for paper ones. However, it was confirmed that a considerable number of gift certificates had already been used before the store opened at 10 AM, leading to a sudden change in the situation. In particular, it was reported that a large number of gift certificates were used at the emart store in Gumi City, North Gyeongsang Province, and this news spread through online communities and social media. In response, fans raised suspicions that 'store employees exchanged the gift certificates before opening,' leading to a wider discussion. As the debate grew, posts claiming to be from 'parties involved in the gift certificate usage' appeared online. One poster claimed to have exchanged nine certificates with acquaintances and requested that protests cease, even adding that an employee had been fired. However, opinions on the truth of this content were divided online. In response, a South Korean media outlet reported today (16th) that a related party stated, 'We are currently in the process of conducting an internal investigation to understand the exact circumstances,' and 'Based on the investigation results, we plan to consider necessary follow-up measures.' They also revealed plans to strengthen the management standards for issuing and exchanging gift certificates to prevent similar issues in the future. After the uproar, Jaemin sent additional gift certificates to some fans in an attempt to resolve the situation. However, there are concerns that the 'first-come, first-served event' using the barcode display method could be abused. Currently, emart is reviewing related usage history and circumstances, and the exact details are expected to be clarified through the investigation results.
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