Three schoolgirls flee home to meet pop band BTS; this happened next
PTC Web Desk: Three school girls from a remote village in the quiet corners of Karur district in Tamil Nadu found themselves embarking on an unexpected journey driven by their fervor for music and dance, never imagining it would lead to an attempt to travel abroad with minimal funds and lacking passports. Aged 13 and all in Class 8 at a Tamil Nadu-run school, these enthusiastic fans of BTS, the immensely popular Korean pop band, set their sights on meeting their beloved stars in Seoul, South Korea.
Determined to make their dream a reality, the girls deliberated on departing from either Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu or Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, eventually choosing Visakhapatnam. They left their homes on January 4, taking a train from Erode near Karur and reaching Chennai.
When they did not return home, their worried parents filed a complaint with the Karur police, initiating a statewide search. Despite possessing only around Rs 14,000, their collective savings, they optimistically believed they could manage. They secured lodging in a Chennai hotel, but remained unaware that travelling to Seoul without passports was impossible. Their relentless efforts the following day led to exhaustion and dashed hopes, compelling them to board a train back home.
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During a stop at the Katpadi railway station to buy food, they missed their train, which prompted the police and Child Line authorities' intervention. They were subsequently accommodated in a state-run facility in Vellore district, where counselling sessions were conducted for both girls and their parents.
It was evident that the girls possessed intricate knowledge about BTS, emulating their style and even purchasing shoes resembling those worn by the band members. The allure of the BTS stars coupled with unbridled smartphone access intensified their fixation. The officials empathetically conveyed that their decision to pursue their dreams abroad was misguided.
Emphasising the importance of education, officials encouraged the girls to focus on their studies to achieve their aspirations, whatever they might be. They also urged parents to monitor and guide their children's use of smartphones and the Internet, considering the challenging circumstances some families faced.
After counselling, the girls returned home with their parents on a train on the night of January 6.
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