On April 3rd, Shukan Bunshun caused a stir in Korea and Japan by raising dating rumors of LE SSERAFIM’s Kazuha and &TEAM’s Kei through a paid bulletin board. According to the report, the two began dating around the summer of 2022 but broke up in the summer of 2023 as their romance was discovered by the company. However, they started dating secretly again around autumn 2023.
Of course, the romantic relationship is not true. Their agency HYBE immediately denied it. Shukan Bunshun then announced that they would release additional photos as paid footage but they were not much different from the previous report. As such, fans criticized the media for using LE SSERAFIM to make money.
This is not the first time Shukan Bunshun spread misinformation. In January last year, Shukan Bunshun reported a romantic relationship between LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chae-won and a handsome rapper but it was fake news. The photos they showed as evidence were reportedly photoshopped by a rapper who is Kim Chae-won’s fan.
Ironically, fake news from Shukan Bunshun proves the brand power and influence of the girl group LE SSERAFIM. In particular, Kazuha’s dating photos eventually caused an unexpected effect that made all the clothes and bags she wore to be sold out.
Meanwhile, Kazuha debuted in LE SSERAFIM in May 2022. K made his debut with &Team in December 2022 after joining an audition program produced by HYBE Labels Japan.
