Starship Apologizes for Sharing AI-Generated Photo of IVE An Yujin, Takes Disciplinary Action
Starship Entertainment has issued a formal apology and taken strict disciplinary action after an employee shared an AI-generated photo of IVE member An Yujin on the agency’s official Chinese social media account. The incident, which involved a photo containing inappropriate and sexual elements, sparked outrage among fans and raised concerns about the company’s internal management.
AI photo of IVE An Yujin Incident and Response
On January 9, 2025, an AI-manipulated image of Ahn Yujin was reposted on Starship Entertainment’s official Weibo account. The agency attributed the incident to a significant error by an employee during the process of reporting malicious posts. The post was promptly deleted, and Starship issued a statement apologizing to An Yujin and her fans for the distress caused.
The company acknowledged its negligence in managing the situation, stating, “We deeply apologize to An Yujin, who may have been hurt by this incident, and to the fans who were disappointed. This issue was confirmed to be due to our lack of oversight.” They also announced that the responsible employee had been removed from related duties and subjected to severe disciplinary action.
Commitment to Prevent Future Incidents
Starship Entertainment emphasized its commitment to preventing similar issues in the future by strengthening internal management systems. “We promise to thoroughly reorganize our internal management structure to ensure that such unfortunate incidents do not recur,” the agency stated. Additionally, they pledged to support Ahn Yujin in recovering from any harm caused by this incident.
The company also reiterated its ongoing efforts to protect its artists from defamation and false rumors through legal measures. “We will continue taking strong legal actions against defamatory acts such as spreading false information about our artists,” they added.
Fan Reactions and Demands
Fans expressed anger over the mishandling of the situation, calling for stronger measures to protect IVE members from similar incidents in the future. Many criticized Starship’s initial response as insufficient and demanded more robust safeguards against malicious content targeting their idols.
This incident has reignited discussions about the ethical use of AI technology and the importance of safeguarding artists’ rights in the digital age. Fans hope that Starship Entertainment will learn from this incident and take meaningful steps toward better artist protection.
As IVE continues their activities with upcoming releases, including their third EP album I’ve Empathy, fans remain watchful for how Starship follows through on its promises to create a safer environment for its artists.
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