Fifth-Generation Idol Addresses Dating Rumors Involving aespa Member

RIIZE’s Shotaro is shutting down dating rumors with aespa’s Giselle.

The controversy began after fans spammed Shotaro’s Weverse live with questions about his relationship with Giselle.

Shotaro addressed it head-on during the broadcast on January 28.

“There have been a lot of the same strange comments since earlier, saying things like, ‘Did you date Giselle?’ We don’t have that kind of relationship at all. She’s a senior at the same company and a close friend. It’s really not that kind of relationship at all, so please don’t misunderstand.”
— Shotaro

Fans applauded Shotaro for speaking up and shutting down the rumors quickly.

Twitter users praised Shotaro’s honesty and directness:

“the most attractive thing about this man is his determination to always speak up for himself and put rumors and people who spread them in their place and i genuinely love that abt him”
— @myysungchan

“i love when he directly speaks up/addresses something like when he responded to that weird ass weverse comment with a question mark, i hate that he has to Even do this tho”
— @loveformarch

“and this is exactly why male and female idols don’t show that they’re friends bc weirdo freak fans are so in their bums about it and turn everything into them dating. he’s so sexy for clarifying it straight up although he shouldn’t even have to in the first place”
— @wishiwaswichu

Watch the clip of Shotaro denying the dating rumor below:

[Eng Subs] Shotaro answered the spammed comments about his recent rumor and denied it immediately on his recent live#Shotaro #쇼타로 pic.twitter.com/RlGc8tH89J

— riize.city (@riize_city) January 28, 2026

No signs of the rumor slowing down, but Shotaro made it clear: purely friends and nothing more.