Angry fans criticized Karina (23 years old, member of the group aespa) for betraying them after discovering she was dating actor Lee Jae-wook.
According to Independent, some fans sent trucks to SM Entertainment, the company that manages aespa, with a sign: “Isn’t the love your fans have for you enough? Why did you choose to betray us? Apologize! Otherwise, you will see reduced album sales and empty seats at group concerts.”
Faced with the wave of outrage and boycott, Karina had to post a handwritten letter on Instagram. The aespa member apologized to fans and promised to “heal the wound” she caused, BBC reported.
“I’m sorry for surprising you,” Karina wrote in the letter. She added that she will show a “more mature and hardworking image” in the future.
Karina, whose real name is Yu Ji-min, has been aespa’s most prominent member since the group debuted in 2020 with their debut single Black Mamba. Last year, the group’s album My World achieved significant success, selling more than 2.1 million copies in Korea.
Karina’s relationship with actor Lee was revealed on February 27 when the couple confirmed they first met last year.
The New York Post reported that Lee’s management company C-JeS Studio asked the public for “respect” because “this involves his private life”.
Meanwhile, some fans support Karina and her love life despite the countless hate comments. “You don’t have to apologize for your feelings. I will always support your happiness. You deserve all the love, support and all the good things,” one person wrote.
Big stars all have to apologize
In Korea, just over a decade ago, K-pop management companies made it a practice to ban emerging stars from dating or even owning personal cell phones.
Pop stars and celebrities in South Korea have reason to be cautious, especially with fickle passionate fans and management companies that assert control over their lives. Admitting to having an affair often creates a scandal.
Last year, another Kpop star, Jisoo of Blackpink, also publicly shared about her romantic life and caused a storm in the fan community. The 28-year-old singer and 35-year-old actor Ahn Bo-hyun are said to be in a relationship.
After a wave of fan outrage, the duo’s management company called for the public’s support and understanding. Ahn Bo-hyun is recognized for his roles in hit dramas such as Itaewon Class and Yumi’s Cells.
Jisoo once admitted to dating actor Ahn Bo-hyun. Photo: Yoon JiYong.
Although there have been cases of famous members of groups like EXO and TWICE publicly dating, such disclosures are still very rare in Korea.
Due to too much scrutiny from fans, most Korean stars rarely share details about their personal lives. In the Kpop industry, an idol’s career depends heavily on their public image and controversies surrounding love affairs can negatively affect their careers.
“They want to sell idols as romantic, at least in the imagination. Fans can imagine themselves in some kind of social relationship with their idols,” says the sociologist. Patrick Williams of Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) told the BBC.
In 2019, the Kpop fan community reacted very harshly to the dating news of two idols, Kang Daniel and Jihyo (TWICE). The incident led to a series of threatening messages on social media targeting another celebrity, who was rumored to have played a role in matchmaking for the couple.
Unable to withstand public pressure, Kang Daniel finally had to publicly apologize.
Hide your girlfriend in a suitcase
In K-pop Evolution, a documentary series that delves into the rise and global impact of K-pop as a cultural phenomenon, first-generation idol Kim Taewoo of God reveals ways to date without discovered. To escape the scrutiny of public opinion and the management company, he turned his car into a secret rendezvous.
Another former member of the boy band A-JAX, Dowoo also recounted his secret love story on Channel A’s Erotic Couple. He even admitted to hiding his girlfriend at the time (now his wife) during a suitcase to get through the crowds.
In 2018, HyunA, a famous female artist, and E’Dawn, a rapper of a boy band, publicly declared their love for each other without the approval of management company Cube Entertainment.
Initially, Cube Entertainment denied the dating news, but eventually expelled both HyunA and E’Dawn because these two idols still insisted on making their relationship public.
JYP Entertainment, the company that manages popular groups like TWICE and Stray Kids, adheres to a strict policy prohibiting artists from dating for the first three years after debut, as stated by founder Park Jin-young. dad.
“JYP has a dating ban… I tell my artists that for 3 years after debut, they should not date or meet friends but should only focus on practicing. In other words, after After 3 years, established artists are no longer banned from dating,” Park said in April 2022.
In recent years, some Kpop stars have been more open when talking about their love life and marital status. Super Junior’s Kim Hee-chul and TWICE’s Momo revealed their two-year relationship in January 2020. And in February of that year, Cool’s Lee Jae-hoon revealed he had been married for a decade and had two children.
At the same time, Sung Joon, a model turned actor, announced that he had married his pregnant girlfriend before enlisting in the army in 2018.
“Many followers, especially young, unmarried ones, tend to consider their stars as ‘dream lovers’. Therefore, once they know that these celebrities are married , they can easily turn away,” psychologist Kwon Young-chan told The Korea Times.
In addition, many celebrities believe that marriage will make them lose their aura. “For idols, losing popularity means losing fans who bring them economic benefits,” Kwon explained.