aespa’s Karina says sorry to fans after going public with Lee Jae-wook

Karina of K-pop girl group aespa. Image: X/@aespa_official

aespa’s Karina penned an apology to fans through a handwritten letter, more than a week after her relationship with South Korean actor-model and “Alchemy of Souls” star Lee Jae-wook was confirmed.

In a letter on her Instagram page on Tuesday, March 5, Karina apologized to fans for “surprising [them] greatly” with her relationship, while noting that some might have been “disappointed” with the news.

“I know very well how disappointed the MYs who have supported me up until now must be, and I also know that they are feeling upset while thinking back on the things we’ve said to one another. I feel even more sorry because I, too, understand those feelings all too well,” she said per a Soompi translation, referring to aespa’s fandom.

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The aespa member stressed that she is “sincerely sorry” to fans who gave her the “warmest winter of [her] life” during her debut in November 2020.

“Even though I’m worried that this may hurt MYs one more time, the reason I’m taking the risk and writing this is because I wanted to convey that I am sincerely sorry to the fans who gifted me with the warmest winter of my life from the moment I debuted,” she said.

Despite this, Karina clarified that she had “always been sincere” in her love for fans, and hoped that she would still be able to show her “more mature side” in the future.

“I want to do a good job filling the places where MYs have been wounded. I have always been sincere towards MYs, and even now, each and every one of you is truly precious to me,” she said. “In the future, I want to show you a more mature side, without disappointing MYs, as I work even harder in my activities.”

The aespa member’s letter comes days after Lee’s agency C-JeS Studios announced that it would be taking legal action against malicious comments against the actor.

Karina and Lee were confirmed to be in a relationship by their respective agencies on Feb. 27, after they reportedly “fell in love at first sight” after attending Milan Fashion Week in January 2024.