K-pop star apologises after relationship goes public

Karina, real name Yu Ji-min, has led the four-woman aespa since their debut in 2020. Last year, their record-breaking album My World sold 2. 1m copies in South Korea. In a letter shared on Instagram, the 23-year-old vowed to heal the wounds.

Pop stars in South Korea and Japan work in a notoriously pressurising industries. Just a decade ago, it was common practice for K-pop agencies to ban new stars from dating or even having a personal mobile phone. Even now admissions of romantic relationships were often considered scandalous to fans. Some fans drove to the headquarters of SM Entertainment, the company which formed and manages aespa.

These trucks have become a common practice used by K-pop fans to show support or discontent in recent days. However, not everyone was unhappy about the relationship with Lee, who debuted in Memories Of The Alhambra in 2018.

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