Philippine fans fear thefts after TV show features collection bought with 'stolen money'

The story went viral on March 5 when it was covered by the popular Filipino magazine show Kapuso Mo Jessica Solo (KMJS). According to the show, Bea, a teenage girl used her allowance to purchase merchandise of K-pop idols. However, when Bea ran out of money, she stole the money from her grandmother.

The collection included photo cards and albums of various K-pop artists such as New Jeans, Enhypen, NCT, BTS, and Blackpink. One prized set was a series of limited-edition NCT photocards she said cost 50,000 pesos ($900) each.

South China Morning Post reported that K-pop fans accused the programme of using the girl’s case to sensationalise and hype up the value of the merchandise, exposing collectors to threats from muggers.

Several cases of thefts have come to light following the episode’s airing, leading fans to link the show to the alleged spate of crimes.

The show’s management on Tuesday refuted the theft charge, saying no police complaint about the alleged incident had been lodged in the last two days, The Philippine Inquirer reported.

"The programme does not intend to hurt or risk anyone or causing division among the public," KMJS said on Facebook. It added the show served as a "lesson and warning" to its viewers.