Rumors involving Aespa’s Winter and BTS’s Jungkook quickly spread through online communities on December 4, attracting widespread attention. Despite the rumors, both SM Entertainment and HYBE remained silent, without making any official statements. Surprisingly, early fan reactions are relatively calm compared to past controversies.
Winter aespa Jungkook dating rumors hint
" data-medium-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z-390x260.jpg" data-large-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z.jpg" alt="Winter aespa Jungkook suggests dating rumors" class="wp-image-893130" srcset="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z-390x260.jpg 390w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z-780x521.jpg 780w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/12/06012754/winter-aespa-jungkook-dating-rumors-hint-thumbnail-20251206t011750000z-400x267.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"/>The original report stated: “Although dating rumors between Aespa’s Winter and BTS’s Jungkook quickly spread online on the 4th, both agencies remained silent without releasing any official position.”
This continued silence has led some netizens to speculate that it may be “practically an indirect recognition.”
A notable contrast to Karina’s previous scandal
Many fans remember the intense backlash when Winter’s aespa member Karina became involved in a dating rumor with actor Lee Jae-wook last year. At the time, some fans carried out strong protests, including sending a protest truck to the agency. Karina eventually posted a handwritten apology, and the relationship reportedly ended just a month later.
The article highlights this by underlining: “When rumors about Karina dating actor Lee Jae-wook broke out last year, she faced fierce opposition from fans… Eventually, Karina posted a handwritten apology.”
However, in the case of Winter and Jungkook, both the “MYs” of the Aespa fandom and the “ARMYs” of BTS did not show an extreme reaction. While the agencies remain silent, none of the fandoms appear to be holding protests or showing anger, leading to discussions that this situation seems “different” from past idol scandals.
Why are fans so calm this time?
Several factors may explain the fan’s unexpectedly mild response:
- Changing attitudes towards idol dating: Fans are becoming more tolerant than previous generations.
- Lack of concrete evidence — Without photos or concrete evidence, many fans prefer not to jump to conclusions.
- Reaction fatigue — After intense scandals in the past, fans may not be willing to repeat emotionally charged reactions.
- Fandom Maturity: ARMYs and MYs are known for being organized and measured in their responses.
In the meantime, aespa continues to prepare the end-of-year program. According to the report, “aespa will appear in the Japanese year-end music program ‘Kōhaku Uta Gassen’ on the 31st.” This marks an important milestone for the group.
As for Jungkook, his individual activities remain on hold as he prepares for military enlistment, adding to the ambiguity of the situation.
For now, dating rumors remain unconfirmed. With both agencies remaining silent, curiosity continues to grow, but without the explosive reactions of past idol dating issues.
Sources: Sports Seoul, Nate
