In August 2022, rumors of a romantic relationship between BTS’ V (Kim Taehyung) and BLACKPINK’s Jennie emerged after alleged leaked photos of the two circulated online. However, some fans doubted the authenticity of the pictures, suggesting they may have been manipulated using Photoshop. The speculation surrounding the dating rumors intensified when earlier in May 2022, photos of V and Jennie driving together in Jeju Island, South Korea, began circulating on social media. YG Entertainment, Jennie’s music company, responded to the situation with a statement that refrained from confirming or denying the dating rumors.
The leaked photos depicted V and Jennie in various intimate situations, such as wearing matching shirts and sharing a kiss on the cheek. Initially, fans struggled to find any reference images that could have been used in the alleged Photoshop edits, leading many to believe that the pictures were genuine. However, a Twitter user later identified at least one of the images as being manipulated, providing original pictures used as references.
The leak of the photos sparked concern among fans, as it raised issues of privacy invasion and potential hacking of Jennie’s iCloud account. Some fans expressed more worry about the breach of privacy than the possibility of V and Jennie dating. The incident prompted YG Entertainment to issue an official statement on October 3, 2022, stating that they had requested a police investigation to determine the origin of the leaked photos. The agency also mentioned that they had filed a lawsuit in September against an unknown individual for posting malicious statements and rumors about BTS on various platforms. Although not explicitly mentioning V or Jennie, the statement indicated that the legal action was taken to address the unauthorized dissemination of personal information.
Both YG Entertainment and Big Hit, V’s label, emphasized their commitment to protecting their artists and their legal response processes to combat malicious online activities. Big Hit acknowledged the support and active reporting of fans, which greatly contributed to monitoring and addressing harmful postings.
In conclusion, the dating rumors surrounding V and Jennie persisted, fueled by leaked photos that were later found to be manipulated. The incident prompted legal action from both agencies to investigate the source of the leak and protect their artists from online harassment and privacy invasion.
