As dating rumors involving BTS’ Jungkook and aespa’s Winter continue to gain traction, Jungkook’s past comments about his tattoos have resurfaced and are becoming a hot topic once again. With fans pointing out the similarities between the two idols’ tattoos and personal items fueling speculation about so-called “couple tattoos”, Jungkook’s words from a previous live broadcast are being re-examined in a new light.
The controversy began when fans noticed that Jungkook and Winter appeared to have nearly identical tattoos of three puppies, placed in the same location above the elbow. This observation quickly intensified when netizens began compiling a list of overlapping items frequently spotted on both idols, including in-ear monitors, slippers, shorts, and even nail art.
Speculation further intensified with claims that Jungkook’s Instagram username “mnijungkook” was inspired by Winter’s real name, Minjeong, as well as clips of Winter allegedly slipping and saying “Jeon Jungkook” on air. Further eyewitness reports claim that Jungkook was seen attending an aespa concert during his vacation, adding fuel to the rumors.
Amid this growing debate, Jungkook’s comments from a Weverse Live broadcast in March 2023 have resurfaced. At the time, Jungkook openly discussed the meaning behind his numerous tattoos. When fans asked him if he had ever considered removing them, he responded, “I don’t really think about removing them,” adding, “They were things I wanted at the time. Deleting them would be denying my past self.” He also admitted, “Do I regret some of them? Sure. But what can I do? It’s already in the past. Regretting the past is the most useless thing.” These words are now being shared widely again as fans link them to the couple’s current tattoo allegations.
Meanwhile, both HYBE and SM Entertainment have maintained a “no confirmation” stance regarding the dating rumors, neither confirming nor denying them. This silence is in contrast to previous situations, such as rumors of Jungkook’s past dating Lee Yoo Bi or Winter’s previous rumors involving ENHYPEN’s Jungwon, which were quickly dismissed as false. The lack of a clear answer has only exacerbated fans’ suspicions and divided public opinion.
The situation has since moved beyond online debate. On December 10, Jungkook’s fans reportedly sent protest trucks to HYBE headquarters, displaying messages such as: “If you won’t remove the couple’s tattoos, distance yourself from BTS’s activities” and “Stop misleading fans.” The following day, similar protest trucks appeared outside SM Entertainment, targeting Winter with slogans such as: “If you want to date in public, live like Kim Minjeong, not like Winter from Aespa” and “Remove your tattoos and explain.”
With agencies remaining silent and fandom conflicts escalating, including real-world protest actions, the dating rumors surrounding Jungkook and Winter show no signs of dying out anytime soon.
Sources: naver
