NCT member Jung Jaehyun (정재현) has once again been embroiled in dating rumors after a photo of him with a woman went viral online. While the woman in the picture is reportedly his cousin, the clarification did not stop some netizens from speculating on social media that she was his girlfriend, much to the dismay of fans.
A photo recently circulated on social media, showing Jaehyun with a woman in Milan, Italy. The two were reportedly seen in Milan after a Prada fashion show event, and the woman in the photo is his cousin. However, the post quickly sparked discussion, with many netizens commenting on the photo to speculate about their relationship, some even directly assuming she was his girlfriend.
In response to the resurfacing dating rumors, Jaehyun's fans expressed significant displeasure, arguing that some netizens were more willing to believe claims made by sasaeng fans online than Jaehyun's own past explanations.
One fan stated directly, "I really don't understand why everyone would rather believe sasaeng fans than the idol themselves? As soon as a sasaeng fan says something, you believe it so easily, but when Jaehyun tells you the truth himself, you turn around and say he's lying. It's really strange."
Another fan urged respect for Jaehyun, not only for his private life but also for his own words. They emphasized that "although he is an idol, he is also an ordinary person with his own morals and principles," and that he should not be deliberately belittled, his reputation harmed, or baseless speculations fabricated just to prove a certain narrative.
Fans further pointed out that the woman in the photo has previously shared her daily life photos publicly and even attended an NCT 127 concert in Seoul in 2022. She also recently posted photos from Como. Given Jaehyun's strong emphasis on family, fans believe that seeing him travel or take photos with relatives does not require over-interpretation.
Some fans angrily exclaimed that if this incident causes Jaehyun to stop sharing his daily life photos on social media in the future, "that would be truly infuriating." They hope that baseless speculation will not deprive artists of the space to share their normal lives.
This is not the first time Jaehyun has faced dating speculation due to a photo with this particular woman. He previously shared related photos on Instagram, which also sparked online discussion, eventually requiring him to personally clarify that she was his cousin.
The recurrence of this situation has led many fans to believe that there should be appropriate boundaries between artists and fans, and that dating stories should not be fabricated based solely on a single photo, especially in the absence of evidence.
