CNN Highlights aespa’s Karina & Lee Jae-wook Breakup, “Relationship Ends Due To Fan Backlash”
CNN reported Karina & Lee Jae-wook’s breakup and re-examined the Korean showbiz that does not accept stars’ relationships
On April 3rd, CNN reported the breakup of aespa’s Karina and Lee Jae-wook in an article titled, “K-pop star ends relationship weeks after it sparked a fan backlash”.
CNN analyzed, “After apologizing last month for a new relationship that angered some particularly animated fans, K-pop star Karina is once again single – highlighting the long-standing challenges of dating in the fervid fanspace of Korean entertainment.”
The media outlet continued, “In the past, K-pop stars who went public with their relationships have faced heavy public backlash, sometimes impacting their professional careers and contracts”, adding “As a result, record labels have long imposed strict rules on their stars, limiting their ability to date publicly – and promoting the fantasy of accessible, unhitched celebrities.”
Pointing out that not all fans oppose Karina and Lee Jae-wook’s romance, CNN said, “There have been some signs of change in recent years, with attitudes slowly shifting among both fans and agencies”.
In addition, the media outlet also mentioned fans’ criticism and backlash that caused the two to break up.
Previously, Karina and Lee Jae-wook’s romance caused fans to get angry. They sent protest trucks to the office building of Karina’s agency SM Entertainment with messages such as “If you don’t apologize, you’ll see big drops in album sales and empty seats at concerts”.
In the end, Karina uploaded a handwritten letter apologizing to fans. The two finally broke up five weeks after publicizing their romance on February 27th.
