Fifth-Gen Idol’s Pre-Debut Photo Featuring A BTS Member Sparks Divided Reactions

A fifth-generation girl group member under SM Entertainment has gone viral on Korean forums after she was revealed to be a dedicated BTS fan.

The idol in question is Ian from Heart2Hearts.

Recently, a pre-debut photo of the idol went viral across online communities, which many netizens have considered as “evidence” of her fangirl era. In the picture, a much younger Ian can be seen holding a phone with a pop socket that has Jungkook’s picture on it.

Though many were endeared by the picture, it also unexpectedly brought some malicious comments for Ian. Many speculated that she must despise her labelmate Winter over her dating rumors with Jungkook. However, these comments were promptly shut down by netizens, who called out such childish negativity.

• “Wow, what is this…? I just glanced at it without thinking and scrolled past, but the comments are full of unhinged people. I’m seriously taken aback. Is this really the kind of post that deserves reactions like that?”
• “What’s wrong with these comments? Is there some kind of rule that elementary school kids aren’t allowed to like BTS or something?”
• “Being a fan isn’t some big deal. Why are you getting so obsessed with the word ‘fan’ and going off the rails?”

• “I mean, back then, wasn’t it basically a time when everyone you met on the street was a BTS fan? What’s so surprising about this, seriously?”
• “Does this mean that celebrities aren’t allowed to have crushes on anyone in the past? Seriously, people find fault with everything. There are so many exhausting people out there.”