K-pop sensation Karina and South Korean actor Lee Jaewook have announced their split just weeks after going public with their relationship. The singer and the leader of the K-pop girl group Aespa and the actor were initially seen together at a Milan fashion event and confirmed that they were romantically involved earlier in February.
The couple has now decided to go their separate ways, reportedly to prioritize their respective careers. However, recent reports have suggested that their announcement was met with disapproval from many, who proceeded to make “malicious remarks” regarding their relationship, leading to their breakup.
Lee Jaewook Announced Break-Up From Aespa’s Karina
Actor Lee Jaewook and Karina made waves in the K-pop community when they announced their relationship earlier this year. While some fans celebrated the news, many others criticized the Aespa vocalist and dancer, accusing her of neglecting her responsibilities as a prominent member of the group.
She later took to Instagram to issue an apology following the backlash for her relationship. The singer expressed her regret for disappointing her fans while promising to work harder to make it up to them and show more maturity as a K-pop star in the future.
Her apology is followed by the announcement of Lee and the Aespa vocalist’s break up. Lee’s agency confirmed the news with a statement, saying that the Alchemy of Souls star wants to “focus on his filming projects,” as reported by BBC.
The agency further stated that they would continue to support each other as “colleagues.” However, other reports have also stated that the primary reason behind their split was “the emotional pain caused by various malicious comments and feeling sorry for the fans.”
This incident highlights the challenges K-pop stars face regarding their personal lives, and numerous fans expressed their discontent with such fan behavior in response to the news of their breakup.
Fans React to Karina And Lee Jaewook’s Break-Up
As the news broke out that Lee Jaewook and Karina had broken up due to the reported “malicious comments” and the backlash, fans took to social media to share their reaction. Many were surprised by the revelation and questioned why the couple would end their relationship due to “random people on the internet.”
idols cant even have a relationship due to fans behavior…
— ⌖ (@CARTISPICE) April 2, 2024
Did they really break up because of random people on the internet
— fan account (@Asensii20) April 2, 2024
idols are human too just like us. why can't fans let them be happy? 🤦♀️
— Ksana (@bigarms4me) April 2, 2024
i feel so bad for them , this seems so unfair
— mo (@filled_popcorn) April 2, 2024
It makes me sick that K-pop idols care about how their fans feel when it comes to situations like this, but the fans never really think about how the idol truly feels and how these things are affecting them. It's so unfair.
— javi (@jvlnoo) April 2, 2024
that is so heartbreaking like whaaatttt
— theea (@gpcks_h) April 2, 2024
Others directed their criticism toward the fan culture that restricts idols and K-pop stars from having normal relationships and lives. It is not the first incident when a K-pop star has faced backlash for their personal, especially romantic, affairs.
The practice is known to be prevalent among K-pop fans, who often consider romantic relationships scandalous. Many other Korean stars have faced similar backlash for revealing their romantic relationships.
According to BBC, South Korean actors Han So-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol also announced their separation just two weeks after publicly acknowledging their relationship. Amid the split, both Lee and the Aespa singer have received fan support.
