Group VERIVERY's Kangmin and Kiss of Life's Julie have been embroiled in an unexpected personal life leak controversy.
Recently, a video centered on the Chinese SNS Weibo spread rapidly. The video was filmed inside a bar and shows a man and a woman chatting affectionately and engaging in physical contact. Scenes captured include the man stroking the woman's hair and hugging her from behind as she tried to leave, prompting online speculation that "isn't it Kangmin and Julie?"
As the video spread rapidly, the agencies also issued statements. Julie's agency, S2 Entertainment, told OSEN on the 29th, "This is a matter of personal privacy, so it is not something the company can confirm or respond to," and declined to comment further.
Kangmin's agency, Jellyfish Entertainment, said in an official press release, "We have confirmed that baseless rumors about our artists have been indiscriminately spreading through portal sites, online communities and SNS," and strongly rebutted, "Those rumors are groundless and malicious falsehoods that seriously defame the artist's honor."
They added, "The company will prioritize protecting the artist and will take uncompromising legal action against the creators, distributors and reproducers of malicious rumors," and emphasized, "We will continue to respond strongly to prevent harm from false information and to protect rights and interests."
Fans also agree with the agencies' measures, raising their voices that "the indiscriminate distribution of personal videos is a serious crime" and demanding strong punishment. Rather than focusing on the scandal between male and female idols, attention is being placed more on invasion of artists' privacy and moral issues. ◇<
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]