Winter from aespa found herself in the center of fan speculation again after a red carpet moment on December 25 at the 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon, held at Inspire Arena in Incheon. As the aespa girls delivered Christmas greetings, Winter stepped up first, flashing a smile and saying, “Merry Christmas.” Unfortunately, she was met with noticeably soft reactions and an awkward silence. Seconds later, Ningning greeted the audience in Chinese, and the cheers turned loud enough to shake the room. Even aespa’s own members seemed caught off guard by the shift, exchanging tense looks at each other.
The silence at the event turned into more online rumors, with fans linking the awkward situation to the ongoing controversy that Winter might be dating BTS’ Jungkook. These rumors have circulated on the internet rent-free for months, fueled by alleged sightings at concerts and “evidence” such as matching nail art, tattoos, rings, and even in-ear accessories. With this red carpet clip circulating, the conversation about Jungkook and Winter’s romance keeps escalating, and there seems to be no end.
Obsessive fans also noticed that a tattoo previously used in rumor videos to “prove” their relationship was nowhere to be seen on Winter’s arm during the event. The possibility of their relationship has sparked everything from conspiracy theories to truck protests outside HYBE and SM Entertainment. Meanwhile, neither the agencies nor the artists have confirmed or denied the romance rumors.