Aespa Winter’s Reappearing Video Ignites Intense Discussion On Pedophilia In K-Pop
aespa member Winter is facing controversy after an old video clip of her went viral online.
The clip, from a few years ago, shows Winter on a game show. She was scared by an actor pretending to be a ghost and broke into a high-pitched cry. The moment was meant to be funny, showing Winter’s genuine fear and the actor’s dumbfounded reaction.
The clip exploded on X (formerly Twitter), hitting over 9.3 million views in just days. That’s when conversations got heated.
Many netizens claimed Winter’s high-pitched crying sounds like a child and said this reflects a disturbing trend in K-pop. They argue that “aegyo” culture, where idols act cutesy and childlike, subtly caters to pedophilic fetishes.
ㅇㅈㄹ로 유아퇴행 할 때부터 존나 남미새같았음 ㅇㅇ
— 짬짜면 (@d_1ext), December 6, 2025
genuinely though, we need to talk about how weird and creepy the k-pop industry is for finding grown adults acting like children cute..
— rim ✦ (@bratzlibra), December 8, 2025
Proving My theory about kpop girl groups benefiting from pedophilia (aside from the actual minor idols) the grown women acting like toddlers to cater to the fetish .
— Baekism (@baekism90s), December 7, 2025
There’s nothing more disgusting than adults acting like small kids.
— ChaoticNova (@ChaoticNovaRise), December 7, 2025
Infantalization and fetishization to cater to grown men is a part of the kpop industry’s idol training… Scaryass industry makes me puke yuckk
— DANT€ (@_D_a_n_t_e_7), December 8, 2025
Winter fans fired back hard. They said she was genuinely scared and not acting childish to appeal to anyone.
She’s traumatized that night! And she’s not pretending to be a child! This girl from Yangsan has a satoori tone. She believes in Gisselle that there’s no ghost because Gisselle is the first challenger to finish the task. This variety show was released in 2022!
— (@aelover4ever1), December 8, 2025
mind you this clip is 3 years old, winter was a lot younger here. a girl can’t even be jump scared anymore
— mar (@yujimjn), December 8, 2025
Having a phobia is suddenly pedophilia now? Kpop stans are fucked up in the head
— Bringining (@Ningieningning), December 9, 2025
This debate taps into a bigger issue about K-pop’s flirtation with “aegyo” and whether it crosses a line. But many say judging this from a short clip of Winter genuinely scared years ago isn’t fair.
The conversation continues as fans and critics clash over where to draw the line between cute behavior and problematic industry practices.