The three girls were students at a state-run school in Karur district, Tamil Nadu. They had considered taking the sea route from Thoothukudi or Visakhapatnam to reach Seoul. They did not have a passport. They were only equipped with smartphones and had Rs 14,000 in their pockets. They had left Erode on January 4 to start their journey to Seoul.

However, when the girls went missing, their parents filed a complaint with the Karur police. The police initiated a state-wide search operation for these minors. They were found in Vellore and were accommodated in a state-run facility. The girls and their parents underwent a counselling session.

The Times of India quoted P Vedanayagam, the head of the Vellore District Child Welfare Committee, mentioning how the girls were ardent fans of BTS. This was evident from their clothes and shoes. He said, “We learnt that the girls knew the minutest details about the BTS band and the stars, the way they dressed and what not; they had bought shoes similar to the ones used by the pop band stars. It was very clear to us that they yearned for a life of dance and music.”

Following the counseling, it was reported the girls hailed from challenging family situations. It was reported that “In the case of one girl, it was a single parent. Another girl's father is mentally challenged. The mothers of these girls work as farm labourers. They have little or no time to monitor what their children do and what they want.”

The case has sparked a debate on social media among K-pop fans.