TXT’s HUENINGKAI addressed swirling dating rumors sparked by a viral clip, telling fans the woman in question is simply a friend and there’s nothing to worry about.
Over Korea’s Chuseok holiday weekend, a video spread across online communities showing the idol leaving a bar with a woman before the pair got into a car. The original poster claimed they had been drinking together until dawn and insisted the woman wasn’t family, fueling speculation.
In the early hours of the 10th, HUENINGKAI took to Weverse to set the record straight.
“I felt bad for MOA and didn’t see a reason to dodge this, so I’ll just say it,” he wrote, explaining that the woman is “an acquaintance,” and that he “couldn’t leave her in that state,” so he “dropped her off and went straight back to the dorm.” He added that because it was a holiday, “most places were closed, so we ended up at one of the few spots still open.”
He noted that since debut he’s hated causing trouble for his members and, as a homebody, rarely goes out―he’d met an old friend and then agonized over how to handle the situation. “I don’t like lying. I wanted to be honest,” he emphasized, reiterating the dating rumors aren’t true.
Apologizing to his bandmates and fans, he added, “I want to focus on work and on MOA. I want to be someone you can trust, and I’m sorry for making you worry. The members, MOA and my family come first. I’m okay―but I’m sorry for upsetting MOA.”
On August 22, the five members of TOMORROW X TOGETHER announced they had renewed their contracts, timing the news with the anniversary of their fandom, MOA.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)