Are K-pop stars allowed to love?
The answer is still a resounding “no” in some quarters – with K-pop singer Karina from the group Aespa posting a handwritten apology online after her reported relationship drew outcry from many of her more fervent followers.
News of her relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook broke last week, confirmed by the agencies of both stars.
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The response from fans across Asia was swift, and mixed – some expressed their support for the couple. But many others reacted with shock and fury.
Some outraged fans even sent a truck with an electronic billboard to the headquarters of Karina’s agency, according to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, which published a photo of the sign. “Do you not get enough love from your fans?” it read. “Why did you choose to betray your fans?”
“Please apologise directly. Otherwise, you’ll see declining album sales and empty concert seats,” it added.
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On Wednesday, Karina profusely apologised in a handwritten letter that she posted on Instagram, where she has 12.7 million followers.
“I know very well how disappointed (my fans) who have supported me are and how upset you’re thinking about the memories we shared together,” she wrote. “I want to make up for my hurt fans from now on. I have always been sincere to you, and still each and every one of you are truly precious to me.”
She expressed her “sincere apologies” to those who had supported her throughout her career, and vowed to “show more maturity and work harder going forward to all (my fans) without disappointment.”
Extreme loyalty
In many places around the world, the announcement that a young pop star and an actor have become an item would be little more than a quick celebrity headline.
But in South Korea – and to some extent Japan – it can still be taboo in a culture where fans idolise their stars and record labels like to promote the fantasy of accessible, unhitched celebrities.
Most K-pop stars live under strict rules, and it’s highly rare for them to date publicly, as labels worry that any relationships make stars lose their mystique among fans.
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And labels have reason to worry, with previous instances of angry fans turning on performers who publicise their relationships.
In 2018, when artists Hyuna and E-Dawn began dating, their record label Cube Entertainment saw its stock drop several points. Both artists were suspended by Cube, under whom they had been performing together as part of the outfit Triple H.
Experts have previously told CNN the phenomenon is partly due to the K-pop industry being built around fervid fanbases – with many going above and beyond to promote their favourite groups.
Fans commonly make charitable donations in celebrities’ names to boost their public image, or pay for independent advertisements promoting tours or new albums.
But this extreme loyalty also means artists and agencies are tightly tied to fan demands and desires – piling on pressure for K-pop stars under intense scrutiny.
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Fans split
There have been signs of change in recent years, with agencies shifting away from controversial contract terms.
While it’s still rare for agencies to announce the romantic relationships of K-pop idols, there have been more instances lately; notably, the agencies of Blackpink singer Jisoo and actor Ahn Bo-hyun confirmed last year that they were dating.
Even fans have begun urging each other to allow stars more privacy and the ability to live their lives. Under Karina’s apology post on Wednesday, the comment section was flooded with fans rallying in support.
“No idols (K-pop stars) should apologise for dating in 2024,” one top comment read. Another user wrote: “Apologise for loving someone? You don’t need to do this.”
The news also made waves on Chinese social media. Aespa has a sizable Chinese fanbase, in part because one of the group’s members is Chinese. And while there were messages of support there, too, there were plenty of disgruntled fans who weren’t satisfied with Karina’s apology.
“If she really cherished (her fans), she wouldn’t have fallen in love in the first place,” one user wrote on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo. “Her apology is far from sincere and merely just a tactic to save face. It just shows she is scared of losing fans and money. “
Other fans pointed out that Karina’s apology hadn’t mentioned the status of her relationship – speculating that was simply confirmation they were still dating.
“What the fans really want to hear from her is that she has broken up and maintains no contact with the guy,” one Weibo user wrote.
Another declared: “How can she appear so burdenless and carefree after all of this? Happily in love while hanging fans out to dry, as if nothing happened. She can’t have it both ways.”