HyunA loses over 200K Instagram followers post dating rumors with Yong Jun Hyung; latter grows in popularity

Netizens expressed their disappointment with HyunA by unfollowing her on Instagram, in contrast, Yong Jun Hyung earned a huge surge in followers after their dating rumors surfaced.

By Shreya Panda

Updated on Jan 22, 2024 | 07:40 PM IST | 321.5K

HyunA and Yong Jun Hyung ( Instagram )

Trigger Warning: This article includes references to violence and sexual abuse

HyunA and ex-Highlight member Yong Jun Hyung sparked speculation about a romantic relationship after they uploaded an image of themselves holding hands, followed by HyunA's comments on her social media post on January 18. Several days later, Yoon Jun Hyung appeared to confirm the rumored romance via texts to fans.

HyunA loses Instagram followers while Yong Jun Hyung’s popularity increases after dating rumors

The dating revelation by Yong Jun Hyung also had an unforeseen impact on the social media followings of both stars. HyunA experienced a significant backlash, evident in the decline of her Instagram followers. Prior to the news, she had around 18.4 million followers, but within a day, she lost over 100,000, and the count is down another 100,000 at the time this piece was written.

There were also reports that some of HyunA's celebrity contacts, including EXID's Hani and Jo Kwon, unfollowed her. However, the 2AM member clarified that he was still in touch with the female singer personally. HyunA's fans have criticized the idol, resulting in the closure of many of her large fan accounts both domestically and internationally. Conversely, despite having significantly fewer followers than HyunA on Instagram, Jun Hyung saw an increase of nearly 63, 000 followers on the day the dating photo was posted.

The announcement of their romantic involvement has been met with widespread disapproval, not due to the fact that they are dating, but because of Yong Jun Hyung's controversial past. In the midst of investigations into the illegal sex video group chats related to the Burning Sun Scandal, Yong Jun Hyung admitted to receiving videos from Jung Joon Young and being aware that he filmed women without their consent, downplaying it as insignificant at the time.

While Yong Jun Hyung did not face legal charges for his admitted involvement in the Burning Sun Scandal, it raised ethical questions about his knowledge of the crimes committed. This has left netizens perplexed about the surge in Yong Jun Hyung's popularity and the continued support he receives.

More about HyunA and Yong Jun Hyung

Kim Hyuna, popularly known as HyunA, is a South Korean singer and dancer. Her initial debut occurred as a member of Wonder Girls in 2007 under JYP Entertainment. Later, she joined the girl group 4Minute in 2009 under CUBE Entertainment, but the group disbanded in 2016.

HyunA embarked on her solo career in 2010 with the release of the song Change. In 2011, she formed the duo Trouble Maker with BEAST's Hyunseung. Notably, her hit song Bubble Pop! in 2011 made her the first female K-pop solo artist to achieve 100 million views on YouTube, solidifying her success within the K-pop industry. In 2017, she became part of the trio Triple H with Pentagon's Hui and DAWN (formerly E'Dawn). Subsequently, on November 6, 2023, it was revealed that HyunA had signed an exclusive contract with the hip-hop label AT AREA, founded by the producing duo GroovyRoom.

Yong Jun Hyung, also known as Joker, is a versatile South Korean artist and a former member of the boy group BEAST (currently known as Highlight). In 2019, he left Highlight due to his admission of watching an illegal video. After entering military service in 2019, he experienced a knee injury, leading to a transfer to public service in 2020, and was discharged in 2021.

Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is facing sexual violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.

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