Last month, SM Entertainment’s kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina secret relationship with actor Lee Jaewook, who is two years older, was exposed by the Korean media Dispatch.
Dispatch reported that Kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina and Lee Jaewook met in Milano and fell in love at first sight.
The fact that they had been dating for about a month became known, and there is a lot of public interest in the current situation of the two since after kpop girl group asepa Karina admitted their relationship.
Following this, Lee Jaewook’s agency, C-JeS Entertainment, stated on the 27th of Feb that regarding the dating rumors, they requested warm understanding and respect for the privacy of Asepa Karina and Lee Jaewook.
But why Kpop girl group Asepa’s Karina had to announce apologies?
While kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina love scandal should be celebrated, Kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina recently stirred controversy by uploading publicly apologizing in her own handwriting.
After admitting to her relationship, there was strong backlash from fans. Kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina’s fans sent a truck to SM Entertainment office building to express their dissatisfaction.
The banner on the truck says “Is the love given by the fans not enough? Why did you choose to betray the fans? Apologize directly, or you’ll see album sales decrease and concert seats empty.”
BBC explained that sending trucks has become a common practice among Kpop fans to express support or dissatisfaction.
The public response to the Aespa’s Karina apology
The public opinion is divided into positive and negative feedback. The criticism mainly revolves around perceived lack of consideration for fans and responsibility towards the team.
Some argue that Aespa’s Karina, who is on the verge of releasing her third album with aespa, “should resign from Aespa”, “accusing her of betraying the fans and crossing a line”. There are fans who openly express disappointment and criticism towards Aespa’s Karina online communities.
On the other hands, there are also those who support her happiness and relationship. comments were “Don’t apologize, we support Karina’s relationship” to “Shouldn’t apologize about falling in love in 2024, we support Karina’s relationship.” “Fan clubs are gone too far, if you are real fan, should support her relationship”.
Japanese Idol group AKB48 Shaving head issue
After kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina admitted to her love scandal relationship, she posted an apology letter on her instagram . Some people revisited the incident where Minagishi Minami of Japanese idol group AKB48 shaved her head as an apology after her dating scandal in 2013, sparking reactions questioning whether it was necessary.
Minagishi Minami got involved in a scandal with Aran Shirahama from the male group. A Japanese weekly magazine reported on Minagishi leaving Shirahama’s house. After the scandal broke, AKB48 announced that they demoted Minagishi, a popular member, to a trainee.
Absence of Home Masters at Aespa’s Karina recent event
On February 29th, controversy arose over the absence of home masters (also called as “Homma”) at kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina event. With the exception of videos and photos officially captured by organizer, most of the stunning photos of idols that fans encounter are taken and edited by home masters. However, due to their absence from this event, the fans saying that couldn’t find her photos related to the event
Home masters accompany idol events, taking photos with their DSLR cameras and promoting the artist’s images on social media platforms for fans’ publicity benefits.
While there was speculation that the event’s schedule change led to the home masters missing it. However, home masters are known for their extensive knowledge and are able to attend even unofficial events, which suggests their absence was due to dissatisfaction with Karina’s relationship rather than scheduling confusion.
Who are Home Masters and why they are important?
Idols and home masters have a symbiotic relationship. The promotional effect of high-quality photos and fancams widely distributed on the internet through home masters is remarkable. Excluding official videos and photos, the pictures and videos taken by home masters serve as crucial promotional tools. Especially for small agencies or newly debuted idols, home masters who attend difficult-to-reach events and upload photos play a significant role, being appreciated by both fans and agencies.
Conclusion
Some media outlets have pointed out the problem persisting in Kpop for over 20 years, from press conferences to Kpop girl group Aespa’s Karina’s reflection on her relationship. This situation is incomprehensible in Western countries where freedom and independence are valued. With this incident, many hope for continued advancement in the Kpop industry and wish for Aespa’s Karina happiness.
Also good to read: Kpop artist Meenoi dispute with AOMG – Radiobox
