[theqoo] WHY ARE IDOLS RELATIONSHIPS ALWAYS CONTROVERSIAL... THE "LOVE BAN" CULTURE THAT FANDOMS CREATED

Idol dating rumors are no longer just simple gossip.

When rumors of a relationship between BTS’s Jungkook and aespa’s Winter surfaced recently, some fans went as far as organizing truck protests. Looking back at last year, when Karina acknowledged her relationship with actor Lee Jaewook and then tried to quell the controversy just five weeks later by leaving a handwritten letter, it’s clear this isn’t a coincidence. It’s closer to a sign that the “rules of the relationship” between fandoms and idols are being shaken.

Idols have always had private lives, but the tone of fans’ reactions these days feels different. It’s no longer just “Oh, they’re dating?” but rather “Isn’t this a betrayal?” In online communities, immediately after the Jungkook-Winter rumor broke, comments like “This is disrespectful to fans who protected his career” and “Didn’t he exploit fans’ devotion during his military hiatus?” spread quickly. This suggests that the disappointment isn’t so much about dating itself, but about how it clashes with the “narrative” fans have been consuming and investing in.

Idols are placed in the most awkward position within this structure. Legally, they are adults and workers in a profession, yet when it comes to their private lives, they are still treated as if they need permission.

In the past, agencies at least served as a minimal shield, but even that has become difficult. As fandoms have become key stakeholders that directly influence album sales, tours, and platform metrics, agencies have also come to view fan reactions as something to be “managed.” In this process, company decisions have drifted closer to public sentiment than to principle.

This is also why both agencies often remain silent or respond passively. The moment they state a definitive position, they must calculate whose emotions they might provoke more. Minimizing backlash takes precedence over providing a responsible explanation.

A pop culture critic pointed out the structural characteristics of the idol industry and fandoms. “In the idol industry and fandom culture, ‘pseudo-relationship’ emotions are an indispensable element,” he said. “Both idols and their agencies have actively utilized this in the process of building bonds with fans.”

He continued, “Private messaging services and fan sign events are representative examples. Fans willingly invest time and money into these relationships. In response, idols continuously produce not only high-quality music and performances, but also their own content, maintaining intimacy with fans through everyday communication and displays of affection.”

However, he also noted that fan sentiment surrounding idol dating can become excessive or distorted. “There are clearly cases where some fans’ reactions go too far,” he said, adding, “At the same time, considering that fans, though acting of their own free will, have invested significant time and money into contributing to an idol’s growth, it’s understandable why demands such as ‘dating itself is fine, but please be cautious about how it’s made public’ arise.”

What’s clear is that as the K-pop industry has grown on the power of fandoms, that influence will only continue to expand. But fan influence must not turn into control over an artist’s private life. Affection deserves respect, but if that affection is strong enough to shake an artist’s life, then the system itself is not healthy.

Who gets to judge someone’s right to love? That belongs to the individual. Dating is not a subject for moral inspection, but a matter of personal choice. What’s needed now is neither more explanations nor faster apologies, but a minimal consensus not to turn someone’s personal life into fodder for controversy.

Suddenly, I’m reminded of Park Joon-hyung of god, who in 2001 was effectively pushed out of his team over a public relationship and tearfully said at a press conference, “I’m 32 years old…” Twenty-four years have passed, yet idols still seem to be standing still before the very same question.

source: https://m.entertain.naver.com/now/article/009/0005606659

original post: here

1. No but if they were dating and being upfront about it since day one, we wouldn't have said anything???ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ If you want to keep earning money, then assume who you are~~

2. Do people not realize why V and Jennie dating VS Jungkook and Winter dating have completely different atmosphere?

3. What wrong did the fans do? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Idols are earning a living by selling us their images ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

4. Whether you date or not, I don't care, we're telling you to not make it obvious. Is it that hard?

5. Look at them trying to make fans look mentally ill again

6. The problem is people see dating as deceiving the fans. Why do you think that dating within companies have become an issue? It's like making other coworkers into NPCs and making you 2 look like you have the relationship of a century

7. They'll forever blame it on fans ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

8. But those 2 are the ones making so much noise trying to beg the fans to recognize them... Why are the fans the ones at fault here?

9. The comments here make me dizzy... Do you guys want them to not make it obvious? Or do you want them to date publicly? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

10. They should've just went public with their relationship

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