K-pop star Karina of Aespa dated an actor and it backfired on her: ‘it’s really harsh’
- Karina became a target of ruthless abuse that forced her to issue a handwritten apology for dating a South Korean actor
- Her plight mirrors that of many K-pop stars, who have bemoaned strict behavioural controls as record labels seek to sell fans the perfect idol
Dating “ruined” her career, Karina’s fans claimed, with one particularly enraged admirer sending a truck with an electronic hoarding to her agency that read: “Do you not receive enough love from your fans?” and: “Apologise, or you’ll see album sales decline and empty concert seats.”
The attacks prompted Karina, a member of the group Aespa, to post a handwritten note “to convey my sincere apologies to the fans”.
“An idol’s persona is expected to be romantically available,” said Stephanie Choi, a K-pop expert with the University at Buffalo’s Asia Research Institute.
Especially for young women, who often start in the business as teenagers, there is a lot of “promotional emphasis on innocence and chastity”, and it is hard for them to move past this, Choi said.
