K-netizens react to Winter's concealed "couple tattoo" with BTS's Jungkook

aespa’s Winter made a calm and composed public appearance amid ongoing dating rumors involving BTS’s Jungkook, choosing not to address the speculation directly. She stepped onto the red carpet of the 2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon on December 25 at Inspire Arena in Yeongjongdo, Incheon, drawing heightened attention as online discussions about alleged “couple tattoos” continued to circulate. The event was hosted by IVE’s Yujin, NCT’s Jaemin, and DAY6’s Young K.

During the photo call, Winter maintained a quiet demeanor and refrained from making any remarks about the controversy. She wore a light mint, sleeveless dress with a layered tulle skirt, paired with naturally straight hair, to present a soft and understated look. Her styling leaned toward elegance rather than boldness, reinforcing a restrained image that contrasted with the intensity of the rumors surrounding her.

Public attention was particularly drawn to the fact that areas previously speculated to feature matching tattoos were not visible. Parts of her arms and wrists—frequent focal points in online discussions—were carefully concealed. Throughout the photo session, Winter kept her arm movements minimal, which some interpreted as a cautious approach amid heightened scrutiny. The dress itself appeared intentionally chosen to limit exposure of her upper body and arms, avoiding silhouettes that might emphasize those areas.

Following the appearance, netizens shared mixed reactions. Many criticized what they viewed as excessive fan behavior, arguing that idols should not be subjected to intense scrutiny or backlash simply for dating rumors. Others focused on styling details, commenting on how thoroughly any possible tattoos appeared to be covered, with some noting that tone-up cream seemed to have been applied across Winter’s entire upper body. While debate continues online, neither Winter’s agency nor Jungkook’s side has issued an official statement regarding the rumors.

Korean netizens commented:

"She used to walk around without covering it before—so why now…?"

"Well, that’s something you have to deal with."

"Self-inflicted."

"Honestly, she should’ve covered it from the start… why make it public in the first place?"

"But why make it that white? Her skin tone looks completely different."

"How long are people going to fixate on her arms?"

"She really should’ve covered it earlier."

"Why show it off, then cover it once you get caught?"

"Why even get a couple tattoos at all?"

"Why does her skin look so blotchy?"

"I feel bad for her and her staff."

"I guess they were concentrating on covering the tattoo so they couldn't be thorough with the tone up cream on her body."

"If you were going to erase it, why do it at all? Tattoos are usually done to be seen."

"These comments are seriously disgusting. Is this really something worth this much hate?"

"If she was going to do it, she should’ve put it somewhere completely hidden. Given her job, sleeveless outfits are unavoidable. Now she has no choice but to keep covering it."

"Cover it or don’t—people will complain either way. This place gets especially excited when tearing down female idols."

"Wow, they did a really good job covering up the tattoo."

"These articles will follow her forever. Seriously..."

"Some people are just too much."

"They should've put on the tone-up cream a bit better. She looks patchy."

"I want to know what tone-up cream she uses lol."