Fresh speculation over an alleged relationship between BTS's Jungkook and aespa's Winter surged again this week as a viral post on the Korean forum Nate Pann claimed that a tattoo visible on Jungkook during the travel program Are You Sure Season 2 matches one associated with Winter. The post, which quickly spread across Korean and international social platforms, renewed a debate that has followed the two artists since rumours first surfaced in 2023 after both were reportedly seen at a Harry Styles concert in Seoul.
The latest claim focused on a short clip of Jungkook with fellow BTS member Jimin, where viewers said they noticed a tattoo resembling Winter's design. The post has accumulated more than 85,000 views, prompting renewed online clashes among K-netizens over whether the markings constituted "proof" of a relationship or simply another unverified connection drawn by fans.
Some commenters argued that the three-headed puppy tattoos were fake or widely available, pushing back on assertions that the matching imagery indicated anything beyond coincidence. Others insisted the tattoos were significant and reignited long-running chatter that has included matching accessories, similar fashion choices and overlapping social-media posting patterns.
Jungkook's appearance at aespa's SYNK: Parallel Line encore concert in Seoul in March 2025, where he attended with his secretary, has also been cited repeatedly by fans who believe the two K-pop stars are romantically involved. Despite the speculation, agencies have remained quiet. When asked about dating news earlier this year, BigHit offered only a brief statement: "We are checking." SM Entertainment has not issued a comment.
Resistance from fans has intensified alongside the speculation. Supporters of Winter have taken to X to demand that SM Entertainment respond to what they describe as "malicious" rumours, calling for legal action, increased offline security, and measures to curb anti-fan behaviour. Many commenters stressed that common tattoo designs in South Korea should not be interpreted as romantic signals.
A separate debate emerged after a Koreaboo report noted that the resurgence of dating rumours coincided with a legal development involving HYBE chairman Bang Si Hyuk. The Seoul Southern District Court temporarily froze ₩157 billion KRW (about £84 million) in assets tied to allegations of fraudulent trading. Some fans suggested the timing was suspicious, pointing to a sudden burst of posts reviving Jungkook-Winter rumours shortly before news of the asset freeze circulated.
One fan wrote, "Isn't it interesting that just about 20min before the news broke on X about Bang's stock acc being frozen by the court, a random [Korean] account, with post history consisting only of posts from today, suddenly revived dating rumors about JK? And that post somehow got 8M views in under 3h."
For now, neither Jungkook nor Winter has commented publicly, leaving the latest round of speculation to circulate unchecked as fans, agencies, and K-pop observers debate whether the revived rumours reflect real evidence or a distraction from unrelated developments in the industry.
