A world-famous DJ has told how she was groped at a Japanese music festival after she jumped from the stage to meet fans.
South Korean national Hwang So-hee, 35 – known to fans as DJ Soda – can be seen in footage from the event running up to fans behind a barrier to high-five them.
But as pictures shared by concertgoers after the show reveal Soda had to run a gauntlet of perverted gropers grabbing at her boobs.
The footage shows the DJ suddenly break away from the crowd and move backwards, apparently to get free of the assaults.
After the close of the Osaka Music Circus Festival, DJ Soda took to Instagram to share sickening snaps, which she had been sent by fans, with her 5.1 million followers.
She said – in English and Korean – on 13th August: “Hello, I need to announce very important issue which happened today.
“I finished my performance at the Osaka Music Circus Festival in Japan today, and I was so shocked and scared that my hands are still shaking.
“In order to communicate more closely with the fans, I always get closer to the fans at the end of the gig.
“At that moment, not only one but also several people suddenly touched my chest and I was helplessly sexually harassed by them.”
She added: “I was so surprised and scared, but there were fans who liked me and also cried a lot, so I tried my best to finish it imperturbably.
“Now I’m back at the hotel however I’m still very scared, and I’ve never ever experienced anything like this in my 10 years as a DJ.
“I’m so embarrassed and humiliated that I can’t believe this incident has happened. I think it’s going to be hard to get close to the fans from the stage. Good night”. (sic)
Some social media users criticised Soda – who was dressed in a halter top and a white tennis skirt – for wearing revealing clothes.
So she said a day later on 14th August: “No matter what clothes I wear, sexual harassment and assault cannot be justified.
“I’ve been wanting to say this for some time. Maybe it’s obvious, but it took a lot of courage to say this.
“I’m not wearing revealing clothes to make people to touch me and see my body.
“I know myself very well so I know what kind of clothes make me look pretty, which makes me feel confident and satisfied with it, so I wear the clothes I want to wear only for my own satisfaction.
“But they have no right to touch me or sexually harass me because I wear revealing clothes.
“What do people who says it happened because I wear revealing clothes usually think? I have the freedom to wear what I want to wear and no one can judge people by how we dress.
“My body is mine, not someone else’s. I like to wear revealing clothes and I will continue to wear them.
“So, let’s all live while wearing whatever we want without paying attention to people who interfere with our outfits!!” (sic)
Some netizens criticised her, blaming her for wearing revealing clothes.
One social media user said: “You know, sometimes revealing clothes are also a sexual harassment.
“Because sometimes it makes people think about sex when they don’t want to think about it.”
But the vast majority stood with the DJ with one saying: “Ignore the people who blame you. It doesn’t matter what you wear, your body is solely your own.”
Another said: “I’m on your side, stay strong. Take action.”
And a third said: “They need to learn to keep their hands to themselves. If they can’t do that they have to stay home and go to therapy cause wtaf.
“Even if you were naked it doesn’t mean you’re giving anyone permission to do anything to you that YOU don’t want.”
