PUBLISHED ONOctober 03, 2023 11:02 AMBySyarifah NadhirahOnly a day after the release of his new hit song, BTS' Jungkook has garnered attention for a separate reason — dating rumours.
The 26-year-old released the single 3D featuring Jack Harlow last Friday (Sept 29).
The following day, a video said to be taken outside his apartment in Seoul circulated on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, resulting in chaos among his fans.
In the blurry clip, a man in a black hoodie can be seen through a window. He hugs a woman while she walks around the apartment and a dog follows them from behind.
"Some netizens exposed a suspected intimate video of Jungkook hugging a girl from behind, and pointed out that the doorbell and switch, sofa, hairstyle, and dog breed in the video were all consistent with Jungkook's," claimed a netizen, comparing the video screengrab with a photo of Jungkook's home.
The post went viral and became the top search on Weibo that day.
Angry fans flooded the comments, with some enraged at Jungkook and others at the user who posted the clip.
"Remember to close the curtains next time," wrote one fan.
"We can't see their faces at all. How can we say it's really Jungkook from just the sofa and a Dobermann? Don't be outrageous," said another.
A few hours later, a fan made a separate post to debunk the rumours. Their post also went viral.
The fan wrote: "The video is very blurry and no faces could be seen clearly, but the person who posted the video insists that it is Jungkook. He cannot be recognised at all!"
They also attached screenshots of posts from a user on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, who allegedly predicted the dating scandal.
"A company wants to drag Jungkook into a fake relationship scandal. Don't believe the rumours when they spread!" the screenshot alleged.
Though the user in the screenshot did not name the company, they claimed that the latter wanted Jungkook's Chinese fans to "cancel him".
The posts were made on Sept 25, five days before the video circulated, raising fans' suspicions.
On Oct 2, Jungkook went live on the platform Stationhead to chat with fans, where they asked him about his relationship status.
"I'm saying this because I keep seeing comments about it, but I don't have a girlfriend! I'm not meeting anyone," he stressed.
"I just want to work right now. I don't have a girlfriend! I don't feel the need to have one. I don't have one. Stop talking about it."
여자친구 없는게 더 이상한 상황 아니냐 정국아?🥲 자꾸 스스로 무덤을 파고 그래 그냥 가만히 쭈구려 있어 좀 pic.twitter.com/qLlWsBtFZ2
— 의담💜환승 (@HDrsvmbWyzxCMur) October 2, 2023
While he didn't directly address the viral video, he read a comment about a fan suggesting that he "sue" someone.
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"I don't need to sue them, let them be. It's all just for attention. They won't be doing that if not for the attention, so thank you. I love you. I'll handle it with love," said Jungkook in the same livestream.
In response to a snide remark from a commenter saying they wanted to "try" being fans of other groups, the star answered coolly: "It's your freedom! But I don't care too much about that. I just work hard for those cheering me on!"
He added that he's even "grateful" to those who write hate comments because they have time for him.
He concluded: "But of course I don't like the haters. I can choose not to like them too right? Of course I don't like the people who write bad things about me.
"Just for those who cheer me on, I'm going to work and live hard for you all!"
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