Bubgirl Min-young Mentions Verbal Jint's Relationship in 'Monkey's Footsteps'

Min-young, a member of the group Bubgirl, drew attention by directly mentioning her past relationship with rapper Verbal Jint on the YouTube content 'Monkey's Footsteps' aired on the 25th. Min-young coolly responded to MC Lee Jin-sung's straightforward question, saying, 'I briefly dated someone in hip-hop,' showing an honest attitude about her past relationships as a celebrity.

Bubgirl's Status Changed After the Success of 'Rollin' Re-Entry

On that day’s broadcast, Bubgirl candidly shared changes before and after the success of their representative song 'Rollin'. Min-young recalled, 'When we debuted, the dorm was nice. We shared the same building with Brave Brothers, but it gradually got smaller and almost disappeared, then suddenly we did well enough to live alone.'

This is a clear example of the ups and downs commonly seen in idol groups within the K-pop industry. Debuting in 2017, Bubgirl initially did not receive much attention but achieved dramatic re-entry success in 2021 when 'Rollin' was rediscovered through TikTok. This success story illustrates both the uncertainties of the idol industry and the potential for new opportunities.

Min-young's Honesty in Responding to Direct Questions

MC Lee Jin-sung asked, 'Is there any member who has changed since joining the ranks of the hit girl groups?' and posed a direct question, 'When girl groups do well, they date boy groups.' While other members Eun-ji and Yuna denied it, saying, 'Honestly, there’s nothing at all,' Min-young showed a different reaction.

Min-young coolly acknowledged, 'I come out in the articles. I briefly dated someone in hip-hop, not a boy group.' When Lee Jin-sung mentioned a specific name, Min-young nodded in confirmation. This is considered a rare case where the person involved directly confirmed the facts amidst rampant speculative reporting about celebrities' private lives.

Revisiting the 2023 Dating Rumors with Verbal Jint

What Min-young mentioned was the dating rumors with rapper Verbal Jint that surfaced in 2023. At that time, even when the dating rumors arose, it was often maintained as 'groundless,' but recently there has been a shift towards acknowledging the facts while requesting privacy.

Especially in the case of girl groups, there has been a more cautious approach due to concerns about backlash from male fans, but groups with a more mature concept like Bubgirl are showing a more open attitude. This is analyzed as a phenomenon connected to the maturation of K-pop fan culture.

Bubgirl's Identity as Mature Artists

Through this broadcast, Bubgirl demonstrated their maturity as a veteran group in their seventh year since debut. Particularly, Min-young's honest attitude is interpreted as a process of establishing her identity as an adult woman nearing her 30s in an idol market primarily focused on teens and early 20s.

After the re-entry success of 'Rollin', Bubgirl transitioned from their previous cute concept to a mature and sexy image. This change in concept is possible only with the support of the members' ages and experiences, and Min-young's remarks can be understood in this context.

Honest Communication with Fans

Min-young's cool acknowledgment presents a new way of communicating with fans. Rather than hiding everything like in the past, showing honesty within appropriate limits can actually strengthen the trust relationship with fans.

In fact, the reactions from fans after this broadcast have been generally positive. Responses like 'It's good to be honest' and 'This side is more attractive' are prevalent, showcasing a facet of mature fan culture. This suggests that the relationship between idols and fans is evolving from one-sided worship to mutual respect and understanding.

Future Direction of Bubgirl's Activities

Through this candid confession, Bubgirl is expected to show a more authentic side as artists. As Min-young and the other members establish their own colors as adult women nearing their 30s, this honesty will become an important asset.

It will be interesting to observe how Bubgirl will meet with fans in the future and what impact this honest communication style will have on the K-pop industry. Min-young's remarks are likely to be recorded as a significant event that presents a new direction for idol culture, going beyond a simple personal confession.