Jungkook–Winter dating rumors spark fandom tension

Dec 11, 2025, 09:47 am

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A screenshot from the online community Nate Pann shows posts discussing the alleged relationship between BTS member Jungkook and aespa’s Winter. / Source: Nate Pann capture

The U.S. Federal Reserve on December 10 (local time) lowered its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percentage points, but the decision exposed the central bank’s sharpest internal disagreement in six years, with three out of twelve voting members opposing the move.

Three dissenting votes mirror 2019-level division

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) lowered the federal funds rate to a range of 3.50–3.75%, marking the sixth rate cut since September of last year and the third reduction this year. The policy rate is now at its lowest point since October 2022.

The dissent reflected differing priorities among Fed officials over balancing inflation control with labor-market risk. Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid and Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee voted to hold rates steady, while Fed Governor Steve Myron maintained his dovish stance, calling for a deeper 0.50-point cut.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell said all committee members agree inflation remains too high and that labor-market conditions have softened, but acknowledged disagreement over how much weight to assign to each risk factor. “It is very unusual for tensions between our dual mandate goals to persist this long,” he said.

Fed resumes Treasury purchases, but signals caution on future cuts

The Fed also announced it will begin purchasing $40 billion in U.S. Treasury securities starting December 12, signaling an additional monetary-easing push. Still, the committee emphasized a cautious approach to any further rate cuts, saying it would weigh incoming data, economic outlook changes and risk balance before adjusting rates again.

The Fed’s quarterly “dot plot” projections pointed to only one potential rate cut each in 2026 and 2027. Forecasts showed unemployment at 4.4% in 2026 and 4.2% in 2027, GDP growth at 2.3% and 2.0%, and inflation at 2.4% and 2.1%, respectively.

The Wall Street Journal wrote that the Fed “hinted it may pause rate cuts for now,” while CNBC said the central bank signaled “a tougher road ahead for further reductions.”

Powell also noted that Fed officials are split between those who favor stopping cuts now and those who believe at least one more cut this year or next may be necessary.

Powell: Tariff impact on inflation likely limited

Addressing the inflationary impact of U.S. tariffs, Powell said that assuming no major new tariffs are imposed, goods-sector inflation is likely to peak in the first quarter of next year and remain modest thereafter—around 0.2 percentage points or less.

He added that much of the high cost burden Americans are currently experiencing stems not from today’s inflation rate, but from cost increases that became embedded during the high-inflation periods of 2022 and 2023.

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Jeon Jae-soo tendered his resignation on December 11 after allegations surfaced that he had received money and luxury gifts from a former senior figure in the Unification Church. Jeon flatly denied the accusations but said stepping down was the responsible course of action.

Speaking to reporters upon returning from a campaign to host the UN Ocean Assembly, Jeon said, “Resigning and facing this issue with confidence is what a public official must do.”

Calling the allegations “absurd and entirely baseless,” he nonetheless stressed that neither the ministry nor the Lee Jae-myung administration should be shaken by the controversy. “Although the claims are false, I believe it is appropriate for me to step down so the ministry can work without disruption,” he said.

Jeon reiterated that he had “never accepted any illegal money or gifts,” adding that the truth would be clarified through the investigation or through future public explanations, such as a press briefing.

He acknowledged concerns that his resignation might be misinterpreted as an admission of wrongdoing but said the decision reflected his intent to “respond to the issue more responsibly and forthrightly.”

The allegations stem from testimony by Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s world headquarters, who reportedly told special prosecutor Min Joong-ki’s team that he had given Jeon two luxury watches and several tens of millions of won between 2018 and 2020.

As dating rumors swirl around BTS member Jungkook and aespa’s Winter, online posts suggesting a potential decline in Jungkook’s domestic fandom are drawing heavy attention.

A recent post on an online community shared screenshots from an X (formerly Twitter) account known as a prominent Jungkook fan page, noting that “you can see fans losing affection in real time.” The post has surpassed 90,000 views and gathered more than 100 comments.

The screenshots show multiple posts expressing disappointment over Jungkook’s lack of official activities since completing his military service, as well as his lengthy 4–5 hour gaming livestreams. The fan account that wrote the posts has since been deleted.

Reactions varied, with some users commenting, “Fans who turn away are the scariest,” while others argued that Jungkook’s strong global fanbase could offset domestic fan departures. Still, several pointed out that declining support at home “shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

The dating speculation intensified as online users highlighted similarities between the two idols’ dog tattoos, in-ear monitor designs, and accessories such as matching bracelets and hats.

The rumor has also sparked malicious comments and defamatory posts, prompting Winter’s agency, SM Entertainment, to issue a firm warning. “We are aware of the severity of the malicious posts and comments—including sexual harassment, defamation, personal attacks, invasion of privacy, and deepfake content—spread across personal social media, online communities, and anonymous forums,” SM said. The company vowed to take strong legal action without leniency.

Both agencies have remained silent on the dating rumor itself.

Meanwhile, Jungkook recently appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone’s Korea, UK, and Japan editions—marking the first time all three editions collaborated on a single cover image since the magazine’s founding.

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