Stray Kids' Hyunjin spotted with aespa's Karina as his lock screen? Debunked

Stray Kids' Hyunjin and aespa's Karina (Images via Google)
Stray Kids' Hyunjin and aespa's Karina (Images via Google)

Stray Kids' Hyunjin recently made K-pop stan Twitter go wild. A netizen started rumors after she spotted Hyunjin's blurred phone lock screen in a video and stated that it is a photo of rookie group aespa's member, Karina.

Both idols are of the same birth year, 2000, which made netizens spark rumors of them dating each other. Some also posted screenshots of their Bubble IDs, saying they both end their IDs with the same syllables and a blue heart, claiming that the proof is undeniable.

However, Hyunjin took to his personal Bubble ID and shared his lock screen photo today, subtly clapping back at these rumors.


Dating rumors of Stray Kids' Hyunjin and aespa's Karina

Usually, editors go out of their way to edit even the slightest phone screen K-pop idols might show on video. They also have a pretty good reason for it.

A netizen noticed a glimpse of Hyunjin's extremely blurry selfie, edited it, and posted it claiming to be Karina's selfie. Another netizen also posted a GIF showing the transformation of the lock screen into Karina's selfie. The resemblance and the smooth flow of the change left many netizens shocked as they scrambled to find more 'evidence' on the idols' "relationship."

Hyunjin's lock screen and Karina's selfie resemblance, alleged
Hyunjin's lock screen and Karina's selfie resemblance, alleged

Some netizens then shared screenshots of their Bubble IDs and claimed they sent similar photos' images to the fans. This similarity made many believe that both the idols are dating.


Stray Kids' Hyunjin claps back at antis spreading rumors

The rumors soon turned into a debate, as netizens and fans from both groups started giving their two cents on what the lock screen was.

For some, it was aespa's Karina. For others, it was a photo of Hyunjin's pet dog, Kkami.

While the dating rumors kept on spreading, Hyunjin took matters into his own hands.

On September 7, 2021, he took to his Bubble app and shared a screenshot of his lock screen, saying:

"My heart fluttered while watching a drama so here's a croquis."

Croquis is a quick, loose sketch drawn within 30 seconds or a couple of minutes. Here's a look:

Besides being an incredibly talented dancer with velvety vocals and rap power, Hyunjin is also an artist. He time-and-again showcased his artistic skills by sharing photos of his traditional and digital paintings, sketches, and more with fans.

It is now clear that the first photo was edited and positioned in a particular way to make it look like it was Karina's selfie. Rather than making a statement or directly addressing it, Hyunjin chose to give a subtle, sharp reply to the antis, shutting them down.

Stray Kids' members have recently been responding to antis' rumors or statements in a discreet manner.

Only on Sunday, September 5, KST leader Bang Chan hosted his weekly Channie's Room live and read a comment saying, "Stray Kids disband" aloud. He laughed and turned it into a positive pun, replying:

"Yeah, 'dis band' called Stray Kids is pretty cool!"

Fans are loving the energy that Stray Kids members have recently unleashed. Here's hoping Hyunjin and Karina make stan Twitter go wild because of their gorgeous visuals and limitless talent, not because of a rumor.

Also read: BTS, BLACKPINK, and Stray Kids asked to disband by disgruntled fans

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