On December 10, aespa's management company - SM Entertainment - posted an official announcement that it would take legal action to protect the rights of Winter member.
The company said, We are well aware of the seriousness of malicious posts and comments related to artists, including sexual harassment, slander, personal attacks, insults, intimate attacks and deepfake content.
The company said it would collect sufficient evidence and handle it without leniency. This is SM's move in response to a wave of personal attacks targeting Winter (aespa) after dating rumors with Jungkook (BTS).
Meanwhile, outside SM Entertainment's headquarters, fans sent trucks with the message: "S stillness is not the answer! Show responsibility; Delep your tattoo and clarify the situation; You said we would be together even after 10 years, but you broke our trust.
There was even a message asking Winter to leave the group if she wanted to date Jungkook: "If you want to continue dating, then live like Kim Minjeong - an ordinary citizen - not Winter of aespa".
At HYBE Group's headquarters, a group of Jungkook fans also sent a truck with many protest messages.
The car's LED screen displayed the messages: "If you don't delete the tattoo, get out of BTS' activities"; "Is it your way to repay ARMY for waiting while you were in the army?"; "Are you alert to not doing harm to the group?"; "let's delete the tattoo and restore the trust that you yourself broke"...
The dating rumors of Jungkook and Winter broke out on December 4 after the online community pointed out a series of "signs" showing that the two artists have a romantic relationship - including similar tattoos on their arms, Jungkook attending aespa's concert during his military service, similar rings and headphones, and similar hand nail designs on the ring finger...
Neither HYBE nor SM Entertainment have responded but have just said, We have nothing to comment on, making many believe that this silence can be understood as an admission.
Winter reappeared in public 2 days after the rumors broke out, at the meeting and signing of fan gifts.
As for Jungkook, he still appeared calm amid the controversy. On December 10, the male singer posted a photo on social media showing a moment going out to eat ramen with the leader of RM, showing his relaxation despite the ongoing controversy.
