On December 12, during a live broadcast on fan communication platform Weverse, Jungwon was asked about fan rumors. He responded firmly, saying: “I don’t date anyone and I don’t even smoke.”
The dating rumors started on December 10 when a netizen posted a photo of a man and a woman on social media, leading to speculation about a relationship between Jungwon and Winter.
Jungwon expressed frustration with the situation, adding, “I honestly don’t know how the people who posted this will cope. I don’t date and I don’t smoke. It’s absurd.”
ENHYPEN’s agency, BELIFT LAB, also released a statement on December 11, firmly denying the rumors. The agency stated, “The dating rumors are not true” and announced plans to take strong action against the spread of harmful rumors that invade their artists’ privacy.
BELIFT LAB added, “We will take all legal measures necessary to protect the reputation of our artist.”
aespa’s agency, SM Entertainment, also officially denied the rumors on the same day. SM explained, “The individual who disseminated the photo attempted to contact a news outlet for monetary gain. However, when the outlet refused to accept proposals with financial motives, the individual maliciously disseminated the photos.” SM further stated: “We will be taking legal action regarding this matter.”
Both idols’ agencies underlined their commitment to protecting their artists and countering the spread of false information through legal means.
