Amid romance rumors between BTS member Jungkook and aespa member Winter, Winter’s agency has taken legal action while Jungkook faces backlash from fan truck protests.
SM Entertainment announced on the 10th, “We would like to inform you about the ongoing legal proceedings to protect Winter’s rights.”
The agency added, “We are seriously aware of the severity of malicious posts and comments (such as sexual harassment, defamation, personal attacks, insults, invasion of privacy, and deepfakes) that continue to occur related to the artist. We have confirmed multiple posts that defame and insult Winter and intend to expand legal actions after reviewing these posts.”
They also stated, “We are proceeding with criminal complaints and civil claims against those who posted malicious content about aespa. We are gathering evidence in large quantities and plan to respond firmly without leniency, so please be cautious not to get involved in any unfortunate situations.”
The timing suggests this move by the agency was made in response to increased attacks and criticism directed at Winter following the romance rumors with Jungkook.
Recently, outside HYBE’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, some fans staged a truck protest aimed at Jungkook, displaying warning messages.
The messages included statements like “If you don’t remove the couple tattoo, leave BTS,” “What returned to ARMYs who waited for military service is betrayal,” and “Is the behavior harming the group really sane? Remove the couple tattoo and regain trust with ARMY you first broke.”
On the 4th, romance rumors between Jungkook and Winter arose across online communities and various social media platforms. The tattoos of three dog faces on their forearms were highlighted as key evidence, and other signs such as Jungkook attending an aespa concert, couple rings and in-ears, and matching nail designs were noted.
However, neither party’s agency has made any comments, leading to speculation that the lack of response may be a tacit acknowledgment of the relationship.
Meanwhile, Winter made her first public appearance at a fan signing event just two days after the rumor broke out, comforting a crying fan by saying, “Don’t cry.”
On the 10th, Jungkook shared a photo of himself enjoying ramen with RM on social media, showing he is living his usual daily life.
Image source: Xportsnews DB, X
