A new round of dating rumors has surfaced involving BTS member Jungkook and aespa’s Winter, and this time, the trigger is an album logo.
On the 16th, Big Hit Music revealed the title and logo for BTS’s upcoming album ARIRANG. During a Weverse livestream, the members shared that Jungkook personally took part in designing the logo.
The artwork features three red circles arranged to represent the consonants “ㅇ, ㄹ, ㄹ,” the Korean initials for “Arirang.”
Soon after the reveal, some users on X (formerly Twitter) began claiming the design was a hidden reference to Jungkook’s rumored relationship with Winter. According to these posts, the three circles resemble the “three puppies” tattoo that has been rumored to be a matching tattoo shared by the two artists, suggesting Jungkook was subtly signaling affection through the album art.
Many fans pushed back immediately, calling the theory “far-fetched” and “baseless.” They criticized the move to link a group’s cultural project, rooted in a traditional Korean folk song, to unverified private-life rumors.
Within the fandom, some also claimed the controversy was being fueled by organized anti-fan activity. Fans pointed to similar posting patterns and language among rumor-spreading accounts, alleging that some were posing as international fans while deliberately amplifying the narrative.
The renewed speculation has left many expressing fatigue, especially as similar rumors have circulated online since late last year.
Jungkook and Winter have been linked in online communities since December, with netizens citing similar tattoos, overlapping fashion items, and coinciding overseas schedules as supposed evidence. Both agencies, Big Hit Music and SM Entertainment, have maintained a consistent response, stating, “We cannot confirm artists’ private lives.”
>> BTS Reveals Comeback Album Title ‘ARIRANG,’ Rooted in the Group’s Identity
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