Asada Captured on Hidden Camera in Jeonju

Japanese figure skating giant Mao Asada yesterday could not escape public attention in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, the site of this year’s ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championship.

Video footage of her checking in at a hotel has spread on the Internet. In the two one-minute clips, she checks in at the front desk, sits on the sofa at the lobby, and talks with other people. The clips were filmed and uploaded on the Internet by a hotel employee.

The employee also uploaded a posting in which he said, “Mao Asada is staying the hotel I work at. Fortunately, I was able to film her with my mobile phone at the lobby. I took her to her room via a route for employees only.”

After watching the clips, Japanese fans immediately informed the Japanese Skating Union of the footage. The union asked the Korean Skating Union to thoroughly investigate how the video clips were filmed and spread.

The Japanese union also complained that Asada’s safety could be seriously threatened since the video clips were secretly filmed at an officially designated hotel not open to the public. The clips were eventually removed from the Internet.

A Korean Skating Union source said, “The Japanese Skating Union filed a complaint so we will strengthen security for Asada. The hotel also apologized to her.”

creating@donga.com