After dating rumours of aespa’s Winter with BTS' Jungkook escalate, SM Entertainment takes firm action

Speculation around BTS’ Jungkook and aespa’s Winter has been circulating online for weeks, reigniting fan debates and triggering widespread discussions across social media platforms. 

While both BIGHIT Music and SM Entertainment initially chose not to comment, the situation escalated to a point where Winter became the target of intense online harassment. 

Now, SM Entertainment has issued a firm and comprehensive statement, marking the agency’s first direct response from Winter’s side regarding the rumours and the malicious behaviour that followed.

Also Read: BTS’s Jungkook and aespa’s Winter fuel ‘dating buzz’ again as matching tattoo rumours go viral

SM Breaks Silence, Warns of Expanding Legal Action

On December 10, SM Entertainment announced a series of strong legal measures to protect Winter, addressing defamation, sexual harassment, character attacks, and fabricated rumours spreading online. 

Through fan reports submitted via “KWANGYA 119” and internal monitoring, the company stated that it had identified a growing volume of harmful content aimed at damaging Winter’s reputation.

In its official statement, SM wrote, “We are fully aware of the seriousness of the ongoing malicious posts and comments related to our artist, aespa’s Winter, including sexual harassment, defamation, personal attacks, invasion of privacy, deepfakes, and more.”

The agency highlighted that harmful posts were being circulated across multiple platforms, including DC Inside, Women’s Generation, Nate Pann, Instiz, Theqoo, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube. Many of these were created with clear intent to slander or humiliate the artist.

Criminal and Civil Complaints Already in Progress

SM Entertainment confirmed that it has already filed criminal complaints and is pursuing civil claims against individuals responsible for creating and spreading malicious posts about Winter and other aespa members. The agency emphasized that it has secured substantial evidence of false rumours, sexually harassing content, manipulated images, and deepfake-related posts.

“We will be expanding the filing of complaints in stages. We will be responding strongly and without leniency,” the company noted.

They added that strict action will be taken not only against those generating harmful content but also against users who repeatedly share or amplify such material. The agency urged the public to avoid engaging in online speculation or harassment that could contribute to further harm.

Jungkook–Winter Rumours Sparked the Online Hostility

The latest wave of harassment reportedly intensified after dating rumours involving BTS’ Jungkook and Winter resurfaced online. Social media users circulated supposed “evidence,” including claims that both idols had matching dog tattoos—though none of these claims were verified.

As speculation grew, fan wars erupted, leading to targeted trolling, misogynistic comments, and personal attacks against Winter.

Also Read: BTS' Jungkook wins hearts with his sensitivity during live-stream

SM Reaffirms Commitment to Artist Protection

SM Entertainment concluded its statement by reassuring fans that the agency would continue to protect its artists in every possible way. “We will continue to make every effort in all areas to protect the rights and interests of our artists,” it said.

With firm legal action underway, the agency aims to set a strong precedent against online harassment, defamation, and the misuse of AI-generated content—issues increasingly affecting public figures in the digital age.