Fans of K-pop group aespa are upset after actor Lee Jae Wook briefly mentioned his past relationship with member Karina during a recent interview. The comment has reignited anger among fans who believe Karina faced unfair criticism for dating last year.
Lee Jae Wook made headlines in February last year for his relationship with aespa’s Karina. At the time, he was filming ‘The Impossible Heir.’ When asked whether the dating news affected his work, he answered:
‘It wasn’t hard to stay focused [because of the relationship]. But if I go into too much detail, it might get personal.’
— Xports News
Karina faced intense backlash when her relationship with Lee Jae Wook was first confirmed. Some fans sent protest trucks to her agency, SM Entertainment, demanding an apology. She later posted a handwritten letter on Instagram, saying, “I am sorry to have shocked you so much… I know very well just how disappointed MYs [fans] were.” The apology drew mixed reactions, with some calling it unnecessary while others blamed toxic fan culture.
Western media outlets like BBC and CNN covered the controversy, calling it a “national embarrassment” for South Korea due to the extreme fan reaction. Many international fans expressed support for Karina, questioning why she had to apologize for dating.
The couple broke up just weeks after their relationship was confirmed. Since then, Karina has avoided discussing it publicly. Fans are now angry that Lee Jae Wook mentioned it again, with some calling it disrespectful. One fan tweeted, “Stop mentioning her name… and move on.” Others accused him of trying to create buzz for his new projects.
Though the actor kept his answer vague, the mention of the relationship has stirred heated reactions among fans. Many feel that Karina — who even issued an apology for the brief romance in a handwritten Instagram letter last year — has worked hard to move past the situation, and that bringing it up now serves little purpose other than gaining attention.
it's been a decade since everything was over and that fuckass ugly hag still brings up her name each time to gain hype and attention for his new projects ljw i fucking hate you
he keeps allowing questions about it, still milking the clout he got from that whole mess while k has moved on completely, even spent weeks fighting against the baseless rumors… tells you everything you need to know about the reasons behind it all pic.twitter.com/8CVIOO7a8Y
did her name not give him enough attention already? it's been more than a year now, and if this shows anything it's that he didn't care about anything other than money and a good image🤦🏻♀️ just unprofessional and disgusting no matter how i look at this
Even if you mentioned karina name 1000 times, it won’t give you a straight up popularity😭😭bitch give up
— •MEY🦕• 🚧27/6 dirty work🚧• (@_aboutbluu) May 19, 2025
This situation highlights the ongoing pressure K-pop idols face regarding their personal lives. Many agencies still discourage public relationships to maintain fan loyalty. Past cases, like Blackpink’s Jisoo and actor Ahn Bo-hyun, also faced similar scrutiny.
Karina continues to focus on aespa’s music, while Lee Jae Wook promotes his upcoming film Dear Hongrang. However, the renewed discussion shows how quickly dating scandals can resurface in the K-pop world.
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