Aespa Winter’s Alleged “AskFM” Account Revealed To Belong To Someone Else, Real Owner Warns Legal Action

Previously, Korean online communities buzzed about an AskFM account belonging to someone by the name of Kim Min Jung.

Based on the fact that aespa Winter‘s full legal name is the same — and that both Winter and the Kim Min Jung in question were born in 2001 from Yangsan City, Gyeongsang Province — some grew convinced that Winter had used the account pre-debut. Soon, screenshots from the AskFM account began circulating, rumored to be from Winter.

And when some of the answers shared to the account were deemed “inappropriate” (like making sexual comments about EXO member Kai), Winter faced heat for allegedly “having been problematic as a middle school student.”

Question: Do you watch EXO’s Showtime? Not that I think you would, but.
(Posted 7 years ago)

Answer: I do, actually. And I’m on the lookout for whenever Kai shows some skin.

(Attached image caption: “Your eyes are looking super perverted right now!”)

— Kim Min Jung’s AskFM

Eventually, the screenshots garnered the attention of malicious commenters, who then mocked Winter for the account. Regardless, aespa’s Winter remained silent about the allegations stemming from different online communities. Meanwhile, one Twitter user @gimminj53119610 surfaced claiming to be the Kim Min Jung behind the account.

On January 9, 2022, Kim tweeted that while she is the same age and from the same town as Winter, she “does not personally know Winter.”

안녕하세요. 양산중앙중 다닌 김민정입니다. 에스크 글 퍼진 거 보고 왔습니다.
같은 01년생이지만 윈터랑 아는 사이도 아니였습니다.
제 에스크를 누가 털었는지는 모르겠지만 매우 불쾌합니다.

— 김민정 (@gimminj53119610) January 8, 2022

Hello, I’m Kim Min Jung from Yangsan Joongang Middle School. I saw the screenshots of my AskFM and wanted to clarify. Winter and I are both born in 2001 but I do not personally know her at all. I don’t know who came across my AskFM and circulated it online, but I’m incredibly offended by what has happened.

— Kim Min Jung

Additionally, when asked to verify herself, Kim attached her Yangsan Joongang Middle School yearbook and her resident identification card (though she has since requested that the picture of her identification card be deleted). While “proving” herself to be the rightful owner of the AskFM account, Kim stated that “[she] and Winter are both victims” and pleaded to be left alone.

Hi again, this is Kim Min Jung from Yangsan Joongang Middle School. I have read all tweets, online community posts, and comments about my AskFM. I’m not happy with how my personal information, as well as my friends’ personal information, are now all over the internet. I’m going to pursue legal action and charge for defamation.

Please stop circulating the picture of my resident identification card which I shared for the purpose of verifying that I am who I say I am. If you have shared the picture anywhere, please remove it. I honestly don’t want to be harassed about this anymore and wish the same for the aespa member. Winter and I are both victims.

— Kim Min Jung

Kim warned legal action against all malicious posts and comments for charges of defamation and sexual harassment as well.

앞으로 저를 포함해 에스파 윈터분을 향한 비방 및 욕설을 삼가해주시길 바라며, 올라온 비방글은 모두 캡쳐하여 고소 자료로 사용됨을 명시합니다. 선처는 없습니다. #에스파 #윈터 #에스크

— 김민정 (@gimminj53119610) January 8, 2022

Do not speak ill of me and Winter. All malicious posts and comments will be collected and used in the court of law. I will not tolerate this anymore.

— Kim Min Jung

Following the warning, the admins behind DC Inside‘s “Winter Gallery” offered to help Kim’s legal battle. The admins also asked the internet to help in collecting “evidence” of malicious posting/commenting—which online communities are responding to with wholehearted support.

• “I hope the Female Celebrity Gallery users who spread the rumor in the first place all pay for what they did.”
• “I’m Kim Min Jung, too! Haha. It’s nice to get to know other Min Jungs. Anyway, I’ll be rooting for the lawsuits!”
• “Aespa members have been dealing with so much bullsh*t since even before debut… TBH, I think we can collectively stop believing in any aespa-related speculations at this point.”
• “Wowee, the series of events that went down is simply unbelievable. Why are people like this? I wish the best for Winter.”
• “The last name Kim and the first name Min Jung are both extremely common in Korea. I can’t believe people fell for the allegations in the first place. Wishing the account owner all the best in suing the trolls.”
• “SM Entertainment, please pursue legal action for the love of god! Or at least let us know if you’re already in the process of handling lawsuits… Like, this has been exhausting for me. I can’t even imagine how draining it must have been for Winter.”