Dating rumors move fast in K-pop—especially when two popular idols from the same company get mentioned in the same sentence. This week, Shotaro directly addressed speculation linking him romantically to Giselle during a live broadcast on Weverse Live, making his stance clear in real time: they’re not dating.
According to multiple entertainment outlets covering the broadcast, the rumors had been circulating online and then spilled into the live chat—prompting him to respond head-on rather than letting it linger.
What happened on the live
During the broadcast, viewers reportedly began posting repeated comments asking about the rumor. Instead of ignoring it, Shotaro acknowledged that he’d been seeing “strange comments” and addressed the question directly.
In coverage summarizing his words, he denied any romantic relationship and emphasized that Giselle is a senior artist under the same company—and a close friend. One report quotes the key line fans latched onto: “We don’t have that kind of relationship… we’re just close friends.”
Where the rumors came from
Reports say the speculation started after claims spread online that the two had been seen on a video call (or that a person in a call resembled him), which quickly turned into dating talk across social platforms and fan communities.
That pattern is familiar in idol rumor cycles: a single “sighting” claim (often low-context or unverifiable) gets repeated, screenshots travel faster than corrections, and soon the rumor becomes “everywhere,” even when the original evidence is shaky. In this case, the rumor escalated enough that it followed him into a live broadcast—where he felt it was necessary to shut it down clearly.
Why his wording mattered to fans
When idols respond to dating rumors, they often do so through agencies, or not at all. What made this moment stand out was the directness and the setting:
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It was personal and immediate: he responded live, without a long delay.
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It set a firm boundary: he didn’t leave it vague; he explicitly framed it as friendship and senior-junior respect within the company.
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It addressed fan space behavior: outlets noted the comments were being spammed, which can derail lives and push idols into uncomfortable positions.
For many fans, the response read as a request: don’t misread interactions, don’t force narratives onto idols, and don’t let rumor culture dominate spaces meant for casual fan communication.
The bigger picture: same-company friendships and the “shipping” trap
With RIIZE and aespa both operating under SM Entertainment, it’s not unusual for artists to know each other—through company events, shared staff, performances, or just the natural overlap of schedules.
But online, normal industry proximity can be reframed as “proof” of something more. The leap from “they’re friendly” to “they’re dating” is one of the most common rumor engines in pop culture—especially when the idols involved are high-profile and the fandom attention is intense.
That’s why the “close friends” line hit like a full stop: it re-centers the relationship as ordinary, human, and non-romantic—without demonizing fans, but clearly pushing back on the narrative.
Fan reactions: support, relief, and renewed debate
Coverage and social reposts show a familiar split in reactions:
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Supportive fans praised him for addressing it calmly and protecting both himself and Giselle from continued speculation.
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Skeptics and rumor-chasers treated the denial as “part of the script,” which is common in celebrity rumor culture—but often unfair, because it assumes idols can’t tell the truth about their own lives.
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Boundary-focused fans pushed back against spamming lives with invasive questions, arguing that if idols share anything, it should be on their own terms—not forced through comment pressure.
The key point: even a denial doesn’t always end the conversation—but it does establish a public record of what was actually said.
What happens next
It’s likely this becomes a short-lived headline unless new “evidence” appears (which, again, is often just recycled screenshots or vague claims). For now, the most concrete, on-the-record update is simple: Shotaro has denied the rumor and described Giselle as a close friend and senior colleague.
If anything, this moment may encourage fans to rethink how easily “content” turns into “conspiracy”—and how quickly a casual live can become a court of public opinion.
A quick reminder for readers
Rumors are entertainment for some people, but they can have real consequences for the artists involved—especially when they’re amplified through mass reposting, harassment, or chat spamming. If an idol addresses something directly, the healthiest move is to accept the boundary they set and let them do their job—music, performance, and communication with fans—without turning every interaction into a storyline
