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On Tuesday, February 27, Dispatch revealed that aespa's Karina and the K-drama actor, Lee Jae-wook have been secretly dating since the beginning of the year. Both SM Entertainment and C-JeS Studios, Le Jae-wook's agency, further confirmed the news where the companies stated that the two are starting to get to know each other and that other details will be kept private.
While many fans expressed positive reactions to the dating news, a few controversies and debates also landed on the internet. Before the dating news unfolded, fans would jokingly or presumably talk about aespa Karina's sexuality about her being attracted to women.
While it was never talked about with depth and seriousness, her recent dating news has sparked controversy among netizens. Several netizens posted about how they were shocked about the idol having a male partner and also called her out for supposedly faking her sexuality.
However, fans soon expressed that these jokes and posts needed to be put to an end as it was disrespectful to both the idol and her relationship with Lee Jae-wook. Since it's harmful to assume someone's sexuality or mock them for the same, fans criticize people for their actions.
Fans angered following the debate around aespa Karina's sexuality after her dating news with the K-drama actor, Lee Jae-wook
On February 27, Dispatch released an article exposing the relationship between aespa's Karina and Lee Jae-wook. The agency stated that the two were first acquainted through the Prada Milan Fashion Show that was conducted on January 14, and continued to hang out after they got back to Seoul, South Korea. Dispatch exposed pictures of the two taking late-night walks with each other and meeting up around Lee Jae-wook's neighborhood.
Soon after the rumors, both SM Entertainment and Lee Jae-wook's agency, C-JeS Studios, released a statement confirming the news. Following the same, fans have been expressing a variety of emotions. While many were happy for the idol and her new-found love life, some netizens expressed disinterest and anger while stating that they were unsupportive of the couple.
While fans' cold reaction to K-pop idols' dating news isn't a new phenomenon, what made netizens majorly angry was the discussion of Karina's sexuality when they talked about the dating news. Before the reveal of her dating Lee Jae-wook, fans would majorly talk about the idol with the assumption that she was attracted to women or belonged to the LGBTQ+ community.
Though these conversations have been surface-level discussions, it has taken a deeper route following the dating news. Many netizens expressed that they were disappointed with her being in a relationship with a man and also called her out for supposedly queer-baiting.
However, fans soon came to her defense by stating that Karina had never personally expressed or stated anything regarding her sexuality.
Fans expressed their anger and frustration regarding the assumptions people made about Karina's sexuality as it shouldn't be a topic of discussion.
