Dating rumors, what a day of silence tells us

When a ‘dating rumor’ breaks out in the entertainment industry, there is a standard comment that comes before the public’s reaction: “We are checking.”

Regardless of the nature of the incident, this phrase is repeated especially in the case of dating rumors.Despite the controversy spreading, celebrity agencies often do not make an immediate statement, but rather maintain ‘silence’ for a day or two.

The recent dating rumors between SHINee’s Taemin and dancer Noze were similar.Photos of the two lovingly embracing or linking arms spread through online communities, turning into dating rumors.However, Big Planet Made Entertainment, the agency, initially left only a short comment saying, “We’re checking,” and did not make any significant response for over a day.Then, a day later, on the afternoon of the 17th, they finally revealed their position.
The official position included the explanation, “Confirmation was somewhat delayed due to Taemin’s continuous schedule,” along with drawing the line, “The two are close colleagues who have worked together.”

As I read Taemin’s agency’s official statement, I suddenly remembered the companies ‘responses to the’ dating rumors ‘that surfaced in the past.They also each made various excuses to buy time.The time they bought this way meant more than just a simple confirmation process.Industry experts call this time difference the’ window of political judgment.’More important than the truth is how they respond.

From the agency’s perspective, there are too many things to consider when responding to dating rumors, including image management, contractual relationships, fandom sensitivity, and the interests of other artists and the company.This is because the brand value of an artist can be turned upside down in an instant depending on what stance is taken in the media.

Dating rumors are not a crime, but a personal matter.However, in the fandom-centric K-pop ecosystem, especially for idol groups, the story is different.This is because it can easily lead to the narrative that “the fans were deceived.”

So why not just say, “That’s not true” ?
This is because of the time it takes to calculate, including coordinating the positions of the parties involved, analyzing photos or circumstances, and understanding fandom reactions.In particular, it is risky to completely deny dating rumors based on ‘guess’ and ‘circumstances’.A hasty denial can, on the contrary, create even bigger repercussions.

The media also plays a part.Even if the exact facts have not been confirmed, the title “OO and OO, dating rumors” can easily become established as a fact in the readers ‘minds.Even if some explanation comes out later, the perception that “they dated at one point” is not easily erased.

The longer the official statement is delayed, the more the public’s suspicion grows.However, within that, the agency finds the best solution in a short period of time called ‘one day’.Sometimes, in an era where the fans ‘’eyes’ are quicker than the agency’s words, that day is not a simple delay, but a high-level tightrope walk that adjusts risk.

In the end, what’s more important than the truth is the timing of telling the truth.



Reporter Yang com -mo hmyang0307@donga

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.