Dating rumors between Aespa’s Winter and BTS’s Jungkook continue to circulate online, with netizens now revisiting an old comment made by Winter that some say was an unusually bold suggestion at a romantic relationship.
The controversy resurfaced after fans re-examined a video uploaded on January 13 to aespa’s official YouTube channel, titled “Today I am a chef of Western cuisine.” In the video, Winter appears alongside celebrity chef Napoli Mafia, winner of the Culinary Class War, as he learns to make fresh pasta.
While operating a pasta machine, Winter suddenly looked into the camera and said, “Hey, are you watching?” When the chef asked, “Who are you talking to?” Winter repeated, “Are you watching?” while smiling.
Although the on-screen caption clarified the remark as “MYs (aespa fandom), are you watching?”, some netizens were not convinced. They argued that the tone and phrasing, particularly the casual use of “Hey”, seemed unusual when addressing fans.
“If he had been talking to the fans, he would have said something like ‘MYs, are you watching?’ instead,” one commenter said, suggesting that the message may have been directed at Jungkook instead.
Reactions online quickly escalated, with comments like “Isn’t this too obvious?” and “She’s enjoying the thrill” appearing in community forums. While many recognize that idols have the right to date, critics argue that “openly hinting at a relationship while maintaining a fan-driven image crosses the line.”
The renewed speculation builds on previous rumors sparked by the couple’s alleged tattoos. Netizens pointed out that both Winter and Jungkook have dog-themed tattoos in similar positions on their arms. Winter reportedly has three connected dog faces tattooed near her elbow, while Jungkook was seen with a dog-style tattoo on his arm, leading to claims of a matching design.
Fans also highlighted overlapping fashion items, including bracelets, shorts and in-ear monitor designs. Another oft-cited “clue” involves both idols supposedly wearing similar-colored nail polish on the same finger – the ring finger – just a day apart, which some have interpreted as “couple nails.”
To add fuel to the rumors, Jungkook’s past attendance at an Aespa concert during his military leave was reviewed. Some netizens pointed out that Jungkook had never previously been seen attending concerts of girl groups affiliated with HYBE, suggesting that his presence at the aespa show was linked to Winter.
Neither SM Entertainment nor HYBE have released an official statement regarding the renewed rumors. As with many high-profile idol dating speculations, the situation remains rooted in interpretation rather than confirmed facts.
However, the resurfaced comment and the accumulated “evidence” have once again placed Winter and Jungkook at the center of an intense online debate, highlighting how even a single sentence can reignite massive scrutiny in the K-pop world.
Sources: Yonhap News, Sports Kyunghyang
