A month after saying sorry for having a boyfriend, K-pop singer Karina has split with actor Lee Jae-wook following a torrent of abuse.
The prominent member of girl group aespa was compelled to issue a sincere apology to devastated and ‘betrayed’ fans after going public with her boyfriend.
Karina, whose real name is Yu Ji-min, was harshly bombarded and asked if the ‘love given by her fans’ was ‘not enough’ for the 23-year-old singer.
Typically dedicated K-pop fans turned against the singer for her relationship with the 25-year-old South Korean star, threatening to boycott any music released.
Following the onslaught of criticism from her fans, Karina and Lee have now gone their separate ways with the actor stating he needed to focus on his career.
Confirming the statement, Lee’s agency C-JeS Studio shared: ‘Actor Lee Jae Wook decided to end the relationship in order to focus on his work that he is currently filming.’
He starred in hit fantasy series Alchemy of Souls, romantic comedy Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol, and is set to appear in new mystery series Tangeum later this year.
‘The two will remain good colleagues and support one another,’ added his agency.
Karina is one of four members of hit group aespa, formed in 2020, and considered the frontwoman of the K-pop band.
Usually, K-pop icons are expected to sacrifice a personal life in order to dedicate their time fully to their music and the intense relationship with fans.
Blackpink star Jisoo also faced similar scrutiny last August, a month after making history at Hyde Park, for her relationship with actor Ahn Bo-hyun.
Fans even drove a protest truck to Karina’s management office, claiming they would boycott any music should the relationship continue.
Taking to Instagram, the Black Mamba hitmaker ‘I know very well how disappointed [my fans] who have supported me are and how upset you’re thinking about the memories we shared together.
‘I want to make up for my hurt fans from now on. I have always been sincere to you, and still each and every one of you are truly precious to me.’
‘I apologise for surprising you greatly,’ she continued in her hand written note before promising to show a ‘more mature and hardworking side’ moving forward.
The culture around K-pop stars has been criticised as labels seek to control the personal lives of their artists, even restricting relationships and blocking them owning a phone.
One company, JYP, reportedly has a three year dating ban for any of its groups so romance must wait until after initial success.
Park Jin Youg, the head of the company, reportedly posted on X in 2022: ‘I tell my artists that for three years after their debut they shouldn’t date or meet friends, but just focus their lives on practicing. In other words, after three years, established artists don’t have a dating ban.’
Some supporters spoke up for Karina, saying she didn’t have to say sorry for living her own life, but this was overshadowed by negativity.
In this situation, it seems that Lee and Karina — at least in a public manner — have prioritized their careers over any potential romantic relationship.
