On the evening of February 26, Jungkook (BTS) appeared on the Weverse app and chatted with fans in a drunken state. He mentioned many personal issues, from past smoking habits to plans to return to artistic activities.
However, some statements considered unrestrained, along with shares of wanting to be more free in life, have sparked controversy. There are even speculations that these words are related to dating rumors between him and Winter (aespa).
On online forums, many accounts have expressed disappointment. One person wrote: "I don't even care what happened to Jeon Jungkook anymore. Please apologize to the remaining 6 members and apologize to the ARMY who really love you".
Another account shared a longer message: "When Jungkook was rumored to be dating, I thought "Well, he might be dating" and then ignored it. When the rumor of smoking spread, I also thought "Well, people smoke sometimes". Even when he tattooed his arm, I still accepted it. I accepted everything because I believed in the person that Jungkook always showed. But now... I don't know anymore".
Notably, the famous BTS video editing account @im_doraji announced its closure after many years of operation. Another post expressed confusion: "What should we do... Jungkook, what did you do?". There were even harsh opinions: "I hope everyone will gradually leave the fandom until there are only international fans left. You can spend your whole life being pampered by international fans".
Besides, there are also voices calling for calmness. A netizen wrote: "If even a well-known fan leaves, it means this is really serious... I hope Jungkook will learn to distinguish between recklessness and honesty".
However, it should be emphasized that the above opinions do not represent the entire fandom. Many international fans still publicly support the male singer. A comment that received many interactions stated the opinion: "Just do what you want. Those who want to stay stay, those who want to leave will leave. The important thing is to remember that those who love you will always be by your side".
The incident continues to show the great pressure that K-pop idols have to face, when each action or personal statement can become a hot topic of debate in the online community.
