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Tuesday, Sep 15, 2026
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K-pop Star Karina and Actor Lee Jae-wook Split Amidst Fan Backlash: A Look into South Korea's 'Super Fans'
K-pop star Karina and actor Lee Jae-wook have ended their relationship after facing backlash from fans.
The couple went public with their romance in February, but some fans accused Karina of betrayal.
Lee's agency confirmed the split, stating that he wanted to focus on his acting career.
The breakup led to criticism towards Karina, who issued an apology on Instagram, promising to be a more responsible and hardworking artist in the future.
A group of fans drove a "protest truck" to aespa's management agency with an electronic billboard asking, "Is the love given to you by your fans not enough?" after news broke of member Karina's apology and breakup.
aespa, which debuted in 2020, is set to release a new album this quarter.
Actors Lee Jae-wook, 25, and Karina gained prominence in South Korea's entertainment industry with the fantasy period drama Alchemy of Souls and Disney+ original series Royal Roader, respectively.
Their breakup and the recent separation of Han Soo-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol highlight the growing influence of "super fans" who attempt to control idols' personal lives.
These incidents are not isolated, as Ryu had recently ended a long-term relationship with Lee Hyeri, leading to fan backlash and accusations of a "transit relationship." Actress Han, who appeared in the Netflix series "Gyeongseong Creature," disputed allegations against her in an emotional Instagram post, which has since been deleted.
Her agency, 9ATO Entertainment, previously stated that she and her ex-partner prioritized their acting careers over their relationship.
In October 2021, Blackpink singer Jisoo and actor Ahn Bo-hyun ended their two-month-long relationship.
Lee's agency confirmed the split, stating that he wanted to focus on his acting career.
The breakup led to criticism towards Karina, who issued an apology on Instagram, promising to be a more responsible and hardworking artist in the future.
A group of fans drove a "protest truck" to aespa's management agency with an electronic billboard asking, "Is the love given to you by your fans not enough?" after news broke of member Karina's apology and breakup.
aespa, which debuted in 2020, is set to release a new album this quarter.
Actors Lee Jae-wook, 25, and Karina gained prominence in South Korea's entertainment industry with the fantasy period drama Alchemy of Souls and Disney+ original series Royal Roader, respectively.
Their breakup and the recent separation of Han Soo-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol highlight the growing influence of "super fans" who attempt to control idols' personal lives.
These incidents are not isolated, as Ryu had recently ended a long-term relationship with Lee Hyeri, leading to fan backlash and accusations of a "transit relationship." Actress Han, who appeared in the Netflix series "Gyeongseong Creature," disputed allegations against her in an emotional Instagram post, which has since been deleted.
Her agency, 9ATO Entertainment, previously stated that she and her ex-partner prioritized their acting careers over their relationship.
In October 2021, Blackpink singer Jisoo and actor Ahn Bo-hyun ended their two-month-long relationship.