Dating rumors involving aespa’s Winter and BTS’s Jungkook continue to circulate, with renewed attention following claims that Winter made remarks seemingly alluding to Jungkook in a recent video. Some critics have gone as far as questioning whether such behavior could be “misleading fans.”
On January 13 KST, a video titled “Today, I’m a Western Cuisine Chef” was uploaded to aespa’s official YouTube channel. The episode featured ‘Culinary Class War’ winner Napoli Matfia as a guest, showing him teaching Winter how to make fresh pasta.
While feeding dough into a pasta machine and rolling it out, Winter suddenly looked at the camera and said, “Hey, are you watching?” When Napoli Matfia asked, “Who are you talking to?” Winter replied once again, “I’m asking if you’re watching,” with a smile. Although the on-screen caption read “MYs, are you watching?”—addressing aespa’s fandom—some viewers interpreted the comment differently, claiming it was directed not at fans but at Jungkook.
Criticism also arose over Winter’s use of the word “hey,” with some arguing it would be unusual for her to address fans that way. Others pointed to her past communication style, suggesting that if she were speaking to fans, she would have said something along the lines of “MYs, are you watching?” instead.
As a result, online reactions included comments such as “Isn’t this too obvious?” and “Looks like she’s enjoying the thrill.”While many acknowledged that idols are entitled to date, some argued that “openly hinting at it while disregarding the fan relationship crosses a line.”
The dating rumors initially stemmed from speculation over alleged couple tattoos. Netizens noted that both Winter and Jungkook appear to have dog-themed tattoos in similar positions. Winter has a tattoo of three connected dogs on the back of her arm near the elbow, while Jungkook was also seen with a dog-style tattoo on his arm, leading to claims that they might be matching tattoos.
Fans further analyzed photos and videos, pointing out similarities in accessories the two allegedly wore, including bracelets, shorts, and in-ear monitor designs. Some also claimed that both were spotted wearing similar-colored nail polish on the same finger—specifically the ring finger—just one day apart, fueling speculation about “couple nails.”
Additionally, Jungkook’s attendance at an aespa concert during his military leave has been resurfaced in online discussions. Some online communities noted that Jungkook had not previously attended concerts by girl groups under the HYBE umbrella, suggesting that his presence at aespa’s show could indicate a special connection with Winter—though this remains unconfirmed.