Karina, of the girl group Aespa, and actor Lee Jae-wook have broken up after going public five weeks ago, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap, citing statements from the pair’s respective representatives.
Lee’s agency, C-JeS Studios, said he had ended the relationship to focus on work, “leaving them as colleagues who support each other,” Yonhap reported.
The agencies had confirmed their relationship in late February – a rare instance of K-pop singers publicly dating in an industry where stars, known as idols, face heavy scrutiny and pressure from some fans.
Karina came under fire after the news broke – with some fans sending a truck with an electronic billboard to the headquarters of Karina’s agency, according to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper. “Do you not get enough love from your fans?” it read. “Why did you choose to betray your fans?”