Fans of BTS’s Jungkook reacted strongly to recent dating rumors with aespa’s Winter, taking their protest to the streets in front of HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul.
On December 10, an LED display truck appeared outside HYBE’s main office, showing repeated messages such as: “Fan behavior that harms the group, are you serious?”, “If you won’t remove the couple tattoo, stay out of BTS activities,” and “What ARMY waited for during the military, returned is fan deception.”
The rumors began circulating online, fueled by similarities in Jungkook and Winter’s tattoos, matching nail art, and sightings of Jungkook at an aespa concert.
Neither HYBE nor SM Entertainment has released official statements regarding the dating speculation.
Meanwhile, SM Entertainment announced a strict policy against malicious posts targeting Winter through the fan reporting platform ‘KWANGYA 119’.
The agency said, “We are fully aware of the seriousness of continued malicious posts, including sexual harassment, defamation, personal attacks, and deepfakes,” and added, “We will take uncompromising measures, including criminal complaints and civil claims.”
With official responses limited, fan anger and misunderstandings have grown, turning online debates into public demonstrations. This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between idol privacy and fan culture.
Source: [1]
