aespa Winter’s Resurfaced Clip Sparks Fierce Debate On Pedophilia In K-Pop
aespa member Winter has unexpectedly sparked a heavy conversation among K-Pop fans online.
Recently, a clip of Winter from a few years ago resurfaced on X (former Twitter), where she appeared to be playing around at a park for a game show episode, got scared by an actor posing as a ghost, and broke into a high-pitched cry. The moment was included in the episode as a humorous scene, as Winter kept crying while the actor who scared her stood there dumbfounded.
ㅇㅈㄹ로 유아퇴행 할 때부터 존나 남미새같았음 ㅇㅇ https://t.co/A9WfLteoF8 pic.twitter.com/1vK2Otblm5
— 짬짜면 (@d_1ext) December 6, 2025
In just a few days’ time, the clip has garnered over 9.3 million views on X, with netizens weighing in on the deeper implications of the moment from all sides. The dominating discourse appeared to be that Winter’s crying came out sounding exactly like a child’s and that this kind of aegyo culture in K-Pop is actually rooted in subtle catering to pedophilia.
genuinely though, we need to talk about how weird and creepy the k-pop industry is for finding grown adults acting like children cute.. https://t.co/GynTstMFyu
— rim ✦ (@bratzlibra) December 8, 2025
Proving My theory about kpop girl groups benefiting from pedophilia (aside from the actual minor idols) the grown women acting like toddlers to cater to the fetish . https://t.co/QcjFvUWotA
— Baekism (@baekism90s) December 7, 2025
There’s nothing more disgusting than adults acting like small kids. https://t.co/8xSxEOgI0e pic.twitter.com/EdlDixa391
— ChaoticNova (@ChaoticNovaRise) December 7, 2025
Infantalization and fetishization to cater to grown men is a part of the kpop industry's idol training… Scaryass industry makes me puke yuckk https://t.co/Np5GLsE4qc
— DANT€ (@_D_a_n_t_e_7) December 8, 2025
However, fans came to Winter’s defense fiercely, pointing out that Winter was genuinely scared in the clip and was not pretending to act childish to appeal to any audiences.
She's traumatized that night! And she's not pretending to be a child! This girl from Yangsan has a satoori tone. She believes in Gisselle that there’s no ghost because Gisselle is the first challenger to finish the task. This variety show was released in 2022! https://t.co/tZiFqtuezg pic.twitter.com/XsxblQL7NM
— 💙🦋⭐️🌙 (@aelover4ever1) December 8, 2025
mind you this clip is 3 years old, winter was a lot younger here. a girl can’t even be jump scared anymore https://t.co/E7eaphR8I7
— mar (@yujimjn) December 8, 2025
Having a phobia is suddenly pedophilia now? Kpop stans are fucked up in the head https://t.co/kY7aAmzCXI pic.twitter.com/sa7uNjUAJ1
— Bringining✨️ (@Ningieningning) December 9, 2025
While the bigger conversation about the music industry trying to appeal to problematic audiences, especially through female artists is a genuine one to be had, many felt that doing so from a brief clip from years ago was not the right approach. What are your thoughts?
