Japanese Woman Accused of Forcibly Kissing BTS' Jin Fails to Appear at Second Court Hearing

A Japanese woman accused of forcibly kissing BTS member Jin during a fan event failed to appear in court for a second consecutive hearing on July 16, delaying the trial once again.

The Seoul Eastern District Court had been scheduled to hold the second hearing for the woman, who is reported to be in her 50s and has been indicted on a charge of forcible molestation. However, the proceedings could not begin after she failed to appear.

Presiding Judge Lee Ji-min said the court could not proceed without the defendant and postponed the hearing. A new court date will be announced at a later time.

The woman also failed to appear at the first hearing on July 14. That hearing was canceled before proceedings began and rescheduled for July 16.

The case stems from an incident on June 13, 2024, when Jin held a hug event for about 1,000 fans at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul, one day after completing his mandatory military service. Prosecutors allege that the woman hugged the singer and kissed him on the cheek without his consent during her turn.

The incident quickly spread online, with many fans pointing to Jin's visibly startled reaction and condemning the act as sexual harassment. A criminal complaint was later filed, prompting a police investigation.

Police identified the suspect with assistance from Interpol after she returned to Japan shortly after the event. The investigation was temporarily suspended in March 2025 while she remained overseas, but resumed after she voluntarily returned to South Korea for questioning. She was later indicted without detention.

The trial has yet to begin, and the court has not announced when the next hearing will be held.