Having a successful career but no chance to find happiness in a relationship—this is one of the heavy consequences of being a K-pop idol. Malicious online comments, protest trucks, and even legal battles are just some of the reactions artists face over rumored romances.
Aespa's Winter and BTS's Jungkook are currently facing backlash after fans criticized their rumored relationship.
On December 10, SM Entertainment issued a statement warning netizens who have been harassing Winter online. The agency emphasized that they are fully aware of the severity of defamatory posts, including those involving sexual comments, personal attacks, privacy violations, and deepfake content
According to the report, SM Entertainment has already started legal proceedings, filing both criminal and civil claims against the perpetrators. The agency also stated that it would continue to take legal action as they gather more evidence, vowing to pursue the matter without leniency.
On the same day, Dec. 10, a South Korean news outlet reported that Jungkook’s fans staged a protest outside HYBE's headquarters in Seoul, accusing him of damaging the group’s reputation and expressing disappointment over the rumors. However, neither the artist nor HYBE publicly addressed the issue.
Speculation about a possible relationship between the two artists first emerged on December 4, when fans began noticing several clues that seemed to point to a romantic connection. These included matching tattoos of three dogs on their arms, similar rings and in-ear accessories, matching nail designs on their ring fingers, Winter calling Jungkook by his legal name during a livestream, and Jungkook attending Aespa’s concert in Seoul back in March while on military leave. Fans quickly connected the dots, fueling the dating rumors.
This isn't the first time idols have faced such intense pressure from fans. In April 2024, Aespa's Karina, 25, broke up with South Korean actor Lee Jae-wook, 27, after a brief five-week relationship, following protests from Karina’s fans who claimed that dating would ruin her career.
