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On September 10, 2024, a South Korean news outlet, JoongAng Ilbo, reported that the L’OCCITANE employee responsible for capturing and distributing SEVENTEEN's Mingyu's unauthorized images during a commercial shoot is now under police investigation.
The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul confirmed they have received a report regarding a violation of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (using a camera to film without consent) and have initiated an investigation into the matter.
The controversy stems from several photos taken during the shoot of the French luxury skincare brand L'Occitane. Some photos that were clicked without consent from the staff's personal phone showed the idol with excessive exposure, including shirtless images, sparking public outrage.
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L’Occitane Korea issues an apology after unauthorized photos of SEVENTEEN's Mingyu leaked by employee
On August 5, 2024, French luxury skincare brand L'Occitane unveiled a new campaign video starring SEVENTEEN's Mingyu. But a few days later, an employee shared a series of photos from the photoshoot on their personal social media account.
After the incident, L'Occitane Korea issued a formal apology on September 3, addressing the incident, following widespread backlash from fans. Fans trended #ProtectMingyu to express their fury towards the company's unprofessionalism.
The company expressed regret for the leak of unauthorized photos that had been shared on the personal social media account of one of its staff members.
"This is L'Occitane Korea. We sincerely apologize for the recent incident involving the unauthorized release of photos from the L'Occitane Asia Ambassador campaign, which were improperly distributed on the personal social media account of one of our employees," the company's statement read.
Mentioning the action that they took against the staff, the brand further wrote,
"We take this matter with the utmost seriousness, and we deeply regret the distress caused to the artist and all the fans. We extend our deepest apologies to them. The employee involved has been completely removed from all duties, and immediate disciplinary action(Suspension) has been enforced."
Additionally, it was revealed that a netizen filed an anonymous formal complaint through a National Petition and reported the individual to authorities.
The complainant emphasized the gravity of the situation, asserting that the staff member likely knew the photos could evoke discomfort or inappropriate reactions. They called for a thorough investigation and severe punishment for the individual responsible.
Notably, Mingyu was appointed as the brand's first Asia ambassador at L'Occitane's flagship store in Shibuya, a key location for the company in the region, on May 21.
On the work front, Weverse announced a new lucky draw event for SEVENTEEN's 17 IS RIGHT HERE album on September 3. The group also recently headlined the massive Lollapalooza music festival in Berlin.
