On Dec. 19, 1990, the Sun's letter of the day was from nine-year-old Michelle Marr, a New Kids On The Block fan who owned 478 posters, and who was irked at references to fans as "Blockheads." The Sun's editorial response was typically brusque.

"(You have) 478 posters? Kid, you're addicted."

With respect to whoever wrote that riposte, no she wasn't. You don't wake up to find you're no longer a heroin addict. But New Kids fans invariably woke up from their addiction.

In '90-91, the New Kids twice sold out the full SkyDome -- 55,000 screaming girls each. Like 'NSYNC and Backstreet Boys fans, Blockheads would phone and write over the least imagined slight (e-mail wasn't in general use then).

Flash ahead to '99. Kieran Grant, who holds the office record for nasty e-mails for his Backstreet Boys reviews, wrote up ex-New Kid Joey McIntyre's solo show last summer, gave it one star and expected some complaints. He got none.

So where did they go, these Blockheads?

"I am writing to complain about the article by Bob Thompson about the New Kids ... He wrote 'Little Joe sure was cute (but) Wood proved he should be dancing, not singing.' That comment was rude and uncalled for. Joe's voice was pure and sweet. I hope he gets other fans' letters to help you realize his large mistake." -- Sarah Cartwright, Scarborough.

"They were the be-all and end-all," Judy Cartwright says of her then-13-year-old daughter. "Then one day she suddenly rushed home from school and tore all the posters down."

Sarah, now 22, has a BA in psychology, and is working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. "I don't remember that day as well as my mother does, but I do remember the backlash and how if you liked them you were looked down upon. I stopped listening to them because people were kind of coercing me."

These days she says, "I like the dance rave thing. I like techno, but I'm pretty easygoing with what I listen to, as long as it's not country. I even caught myself watching the Backstreet Boys' special on MuchMusic." And what does she think when she sees pre- and post-teens going crazy over the Boys? "It's kind of a been-there done-that thing."

Letter writer Michelle Marr has no idea what happened to the 478 posters, or the T-shirts, watches, hat, dolls, pajamas, fleece tops and cards. "Oh God, they're probably in the garbage," says Marr, 18, who works at a conveyor belt company in Orangeville.

She was in town last week to catch Limp Bizkit at SkyDome. "I kinda like hip-hop too. I like (rappers) Redman and Method Man (who opened for Limp Bizkit)."

When we ask when she dropped the New Kids, Marr laughs. "Probably when they, like, dropped off the face of the earth."

And what about those screaming girls now? "It makes me laugh when I see them," Marr says. "My sister is 11 months older than me and she's a Backstreet Boys fan. I'm not gonna dis on the Backstreet Boys, but I'm not a fan."

"I am directing this letter to ... all those disbelieving adults. I don't understand this New Kids On The Block deal ... You'd think parents/adults would be grateful to these five guys (for their anti-drug crusade). But no! They have to find something wrong with them ... All you adults -- get your priorities straight and think before you say bad things about New Kids On The Block. -- Patricia Hoffman, Paris."

"They were pretty bad in retrospect," says Hoffman, now 24, and studying respiratory therapy at Canadore College in North Bay. "If you listen to the New Kids, you see they really weren't musically talented. I'm not into the Backstreet Boys, but at least they have some talent." Hoffman's break came "because they stopped putting out albums, and crushes don't last -- especially if they're not reinforced." These days she's into "Sarah McLachlan, INXS, kind of retro stuff."

And unlike Marr, Hoffman has all her New Kids stuff "in two boxes at home, the posters, the dolls, the book I paid $70 for.

"I still wouldn't mind meeting Jordan Knight. I mean, he was such a large part of my life for so long."

"Re: Gary Dunford's article: If Dunford had half a brain (that's the thing people use to think with) he would know that New Kids On The Block are the greatest group ever since the Beatles."
-- Claire D'Angelo, Bolton.

We couldn't find Claire. But the editorial reply, "In 10 years you'll deny ever writing this letter" might not be so far off.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- A teenage girl injured during a concert by New Kids On The Block died yesterday.

And police said they plan to charge the organizer of the concert in which over 50 kids were injured in a stampede.

About 200 screaming fans had rushed the stage during the group's concert Monday at Seoul's Olympic Gymnastic Hall, which police allege was overcrowded.

Park Jung-yun, 17, had been listed as brain dead since receiving injuries during the riot. She died early yesterday.

Police said Hong Hyon-pyo, chief organizer of the concert, could face up to two years in prison if convicted of negligence.

Hong, 35, president of Sorabul Records, was questioned by police for allegedly having sold 4,000 more tickets than he was authorized to sell.

The concert hall was packed with about 16,000 fans for the concert.

Culture ministry officials, under mounting public criticism of "decadent foreign music and culture," said yesterday that they may reject a promoter's plan to sponsor a Michael Jackson concert in May.

Kids' lips have synched

Pop supergroup New Kids On The Block said on TV last night they've lipsynched performances, but not lately.

The five-member group told Arsenio Hall they have used back-up tapes and "emulator" machines during concerts but not in the last 18 months.

"Our show at this point is 100% live," said Donnie Wahlberg.

The New Kids performed twice on the late night talk show, first a medley of songs and then their hit, If You Go Away.

The group interrupted their overseas tour to respond to lipsynch claims.

Before their 35-minute appearance, Hall interviewed members of the studio audience, some of whom had lined up overnight to see their idols.

Linda, a 22-year-old from San Francisco said she's seen the group live eight times and believes they do sing because she could hear off notes.

Middle-aged Fred from Ontario told Hall that fans understand if high-energy dance groups get tired. "If they have to lipsynch, so be it," he said.

Meanwhile, in Chicago, the group has been slapped with a $75-million fraud lawsuit.

Michael Siegel filed the suit,claiming the group defrauded everyone who bought their music.