태연은 19일 자신의 인스타그램을 통해 “소원(소녀시대 팬클럽). 오늘 저 때문에 많이 놀라시고 상처받았죠. 굳이 느끼지 않아도 될 기분 느끼게 해서 너무 미안하다” 며 조심스럽게 말문을 열었다.

또한 “제가 조금 더 조심스럽지 못해서 벌어진 오늘 기사. 너무 사과하고 싶어서요. 아프게 해서 미안해요. 정말”이라며 말했다.

이어 태연은 “제가 지금 무슨 말을 하던 다 다르게 들릴 수 있을 거 같아요. 저를 해명하자는 게 아니라 하루라도 그만 상처 받으셨으면 해서 말씀 드리고 싶은 게 있어요. “라며 그 동안 자신이 게재했던 인스타그램에 대한 부분에 사과를 전했다.

태연은 엑소 백현과의 열애설이 터지기 전 인스타그램에 '비단향꽃무' 사진을 하트 이모티콘과 함께 게재한 바 있다. 특히 이 날은 백현의 생일로 '비단향꽃무'는 5월 6일 탄생화로 알려졌다.

또한 '오레오' 과자 두 개를 포개 놓은 사진과 함께 "오늘도 어김없이 너 때문에 미치겠다"는 글을 올렸다. 이에 일부 팬들은 오레오 과자에 흰색과 검은색은 한자로 '흰 백'과 '검을 현', 이라며 오레오'가 백현'을 의미한다고 풀이해 눈길을 모은 바 있다.

태연 심경 고백 소식을 접한 네티즌들은 “태연 심경 고백, 연예인이 연애 좀 한다는데 다들 너무하네”, “태연 심경 고백, 별 일도 아니고만 사과까지”, “태연 심경 고백, 원래 사랑하면 유치해지잖아”, “태연 심경 고백, 열애설 보고 실망하기는 했다”, “태연 심경 고백, 그러니까 왜 그랬어”등의 다양한 반응을 보였다.

(popnews@heraldcorp.com)
 

<관련 영문 뉴스>

SNSD Taeyeon apologizes to fans

Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon finally broke her silence Thursday by making an apology to her fans who might have been “hurt” and “surprised” by the news that she has been dating EXO’s Baekhyun.

The leader of the K-pop idol group left a message on her Instagram at 11:30 p.m., Thursday, 12 hours after the news went viral. She is thought to have written the message right after she wrapped up a concert in Japan.

“My fans, I know you have been shocked and hurt by me today. I am really sorry that I made you feel what you don’t have to feel. Today’s news (about my relationship with Baekhyun) upset you because I wasn’t cautious enough,” she said.

The 25-year-old idol went on to say, “I know I let you down. You might feel disappointed and mad. You might hate me... I know you have mixed feelings about it. I can accept that. And I want to say sorry. I know (you are hurt) because you have trusted and supported me.”

She also talked about the controversy over her previous comments and photos on her Instagram that fans later found relevant to her then-secret lover Baekhyun.

“I have heard many fans saying that I enjoyed posting secret photos that only Baekhyun and I can understand on my Instagram, mocking fans ... but that was not my intention.”
 
Many fans of the idol couple say they feel “betrayed” rather than happy.

The news came as a great shock, especially to Baekhyun’s fans, due to his latest post on EXO’s official website affirming his willingness to focus on EXO’s activities without having a girlfriend.

Earlier in the day, rumors surfaced that Taeyeon and Baekhyun had been dating for four months after Korean online entertainment news outlet Dispatch unveiled photos of the two in a car, supposedly on a date, that were taken around dawn near EXO’s home in Seoul.

Taeyeon reportedly headed to Baekhyun’s dormitory, located in eastern Seoul at 2 a.m. to pick him up. They parked on a side road, where the couple enjoyed time together.

“Baekhyun has said that Taeyeon was his ideal type, and Taeyeon found him cute. At the end of last year, they confessed their feelings to each other and started a romantic relationship in February this year,” a source familiar with the two was quoted as saying.

About three hours later, SM Entertainment, the nation’s largest entertainment agency and EXO and Girls’ Generation’s label, confirmed the romantic relationship between the two young celebrities.

“They have been close as a senior and junior, but recently they started to have feelings for each other. The relationship is in its early stages,” said an official from the agency.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)