Aespa’s Karina Clears The Air About The Fake Relatives Who Congratulated Her Debut

Aespa member Karina recently cleared the air about the viral news from 2020 regarding her “family members.”

On May 20, aespa appeared on the YouTube show The K-Star Next Door, hosted by TV personality Jonathan Yiombi.

Jonathan addressed each member’s “controversies,” such as Winter‘s picture with a missing nail and Giselle‘s Konglish (Korean and English) language.

Jonathan then addressed Karina’s “controversy” by asking about her alleged viral marketing that occurred before she debuted. Around the time aespa debuted with “Black Mamba” in 2020, a netizen named Yoo Young Chan posted on an online community stating that Karina was his niece.

SM Entertainment’s girl group, aespa.
They’re filming commercials for ____ these days, too.
Aespa’s leader Karina (Yoo Jimin) is my niece. The one wearing the black clothes.

— Yoo Young Chan

Also, another person claiming to be Karina’s relative wrote a post titled “Niece’s Debut” in an online community.

Today, she debuts as an idol through Magic Bank (Music Bank). AESPA. Stage name: Karina.

— Karina’s “relative”

In response, Karina laughed and expressed her humiliation.

Then she clarified that she does not know who these alleged relatives are.

I was surprised, too. My dad told me about it. I don’t know who that is. He even knows my dad’s name.

— Karina

When Jonathan asked if she really didn’t know any relative named Yoo Young Chan, Karina joked, “No, I’d like to meet him.”

This isn’t the first time someone claimed to be Karina’s relative. During aespa’s debut two years ago, someone posted on a Marine Corps Twitter account that one of the member’s daughters was debuting as an idol.

Good news. ____’s daughter is finally debuting as a girl group. We’re proud of her enduring and overcoming all the hard work as a trainee.

It was correct that Yoo Jimin is in aespa… she will be debuting as Karina.

— A netizen

This caused netizens to wonder if Karina’s father used to be in the Marine Corps.

It’s clear that Karina was supported by fans even before she debuted—even if they were by people claiming to be related to her!