SM Entertainment has issued a warning over ongoing malicious posts and content targeting aespa member Winter.
In an official statement, the agency said false information, defamation, insults, malicious slander, personal attacks, sexual harassment and other unlawful content targeting Winter have continued to appear across platforms including X, Instagram, YouTube, TheQoo, Instiz, DC Inside, Women’s Generation and Nate Pann.
SM Entertainment said it plans to pursue legal procedures, including criminal complaints, in stages following review by a law firm. The agency added that its response will extend beyond the platforms specifically named in the statement to anonymous message boards and other social media services.
The company said it will collect information necessary to trace how posts were created and distributed and to identify their authors, regardless of whether the activity originated domestically or overseas. It also said offenders who are identified will face legal action under a zero-tolerance policy without leniency or settlement.
SM Entertainment added that it continues to collect evidence through its own monitoring and reports submitted by fans through KWANGYA 119 and said it will continue strengthening its legal response to malicious content targeting its artists.
Netizen Reactions
The sampled comments were largely supportive of Winter and SM Entertainment’s legal response, while several commenters also blamed international fan communities or particular fandoms for harassment directed at her.
1. There are groups of people out there who wish I were dead ^^... I very, very sincerely hope they either die or get arrested instead.
2. The smear campaigns against aespa from those international fans are insane ㅋㅋ
3. No, but putting that male idol aside, Koreans bash aespa really hard too...
4. Can’t they catch those international fans? They’re seriously the worst.
5. I’m an actor fan, but just from the title I can immediately guess which fandom is harassing her.
6. I’m a boy group fan, but I like Winter and I’ve been keeping an eye on aespa since their debut. There are so fucking many disgusting sexual harassment comments, so I hope every malicious commenter gets caught, whether they’re men or women.
7. Ugh, BTSD... (I’m a fan of another group.) Winter, fighting...
8. We’ve been targeted by international fans of HYBE idols too. They were mostly accounts from one particular country, and honestly, cockroaches would be better. They just keep acting up without ever getting tired. Anyway, is there actually a way to catch international fans through legal action? I really hope so. I feel like catching even a few of those international fans spreading malicious narratives would quiet things down ㅎㅎ I hope the legal action gets good results!
9. It’s not just Winter—misogyny toward Korean women has gotten fucking severe too ㅋㅋㅋ Especially toward really thin, pale Korean women like Winter ㅜㅜ. Add the dating rumors, and because she’s the kind of woman those international fans could never become even if they were reborn, you can really feel how viciously they attack her...
10. BTS international fans going fucking wild like animals keep showing up on my recommended tab. I honestly have zero interest in Winter, but yesterday I just felt so bad for her as another woman ㅠㅠ. I hope they catch those international fans and make an example of them.
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