Winter, Jungwon deny dating rumors, agencies warn of legal action

By Pyo Kyung-min

K-pop stars Winter of aespa and Jungwon of ENHYPEN denied dating rumors on Wednesday, after photos allegedly showing them together surfaced online. Rejecting the claims as "baseless," the agencies of both singers have vowed legal action against those spreading false allegations.

SM Entertainment, Winter's agency, issued a statement on Wednesday accusing the individual behind the photos of attempting to profit from their release.

"The person contacted a media outlet seeking monetary compensation. When the outlet refused to accommodate their demands, they maliciously spread the photos," the agency said. "We will take legal actions if needed."

Jungwon's agency, Belift Lab, a subsidiary of HYBE Labels, also dismissed the rumors. "We plan to respond strongly to any actions that invade the privacy of our artists or create and disseminate malicious rumors," the agency warned.

The rumors began when an online user shared photos claiming Winter and Jungwon were seen together at a whiskey bar in Seoul. The post alleged that the two spent time together, with Winter leaving in a taxi first and Jungwon following shortly after.

Adding fuel to the speculations, a short video surfaced online featuring a masked man speaking on the phone. While some claimed the man's voice matched Jungwon's, the original post has since been deleted.

Winter debuted in 2020 as the vocalist of aespa, and has since achieved widespread popularity with hit songs including "Next Level," "Savage" and "Spicy." This year, the group's continued success with tracks such as "Supernova," "Armageddon" and "Whiplash," has solidified its status as one of the top 4th-generation K-pop bands.

Jungwon also made his debut in 2020 as the leader of ENHYPEN, a boy band formed through Mnet's audition program "I-LAND." ENHYPEN's second studio album, "ROMANCE: UNTOLD," reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, cementing the group's global popularity.