A headline suggesting that BLACKPINK’s Jennie and EXO’s Kai had been “caught being affectionate” sent Korean fans into a frenzy this week—only for many to discover they had been misled by a clever piece of clickbait.
The confusion erupted just ahead of the release of Jennie’s new music video for “Less Than a Lover.” The song had already attracted attention because of the appearance of her male co-star, Nah Kai, as well as renewed discussion surrounding Jennie’s past relationship with EXO’s Kai.
📸260723 Odd Atelier IG Update #JENNIE
“All i need this summer… less than a lover 🏖️” pic.twitter.com/0gXtPS1d6d
— JENNIE NEWS (@NEWSJENNlE) July 23, 2026
To promote the upcoming music video, Jennie shared several behind-the-scenes clips featuring herself and Nah Kai. In the videos, the pair displayed playful and intimate chemistry before filming began, with many fans praising how natural they looked together on camera.
However, one Korean media outlet took advantage of the situation by publishing a headline that read:
“Jennie and Kai Caught Being Affectionate… Giving Off the Vibe of a ‘Real Couple.'”
While technically referring to Nah Kai, many readers immediately assumed the headline was talking about EXO’s Kai, Jennie’s former boyfriend.
The wording quickly sparked confusion across Korean online communities, where countless fans clicked on the article believing the former celebrity couple had reunited.
Many netizens admitted they had been completely fooled by the headline.
“I totally fell for it,” one commenter wrote.
Another joked, “Even Kai himself would probably be surprised if he clicked on that.”
📸260723 #JENNIE Tiktok update
“I love summer” https://t.co/1inXMVMCES pic.twitter.com/ZVM1iVK9EW
— JENNIE NEWS (@NEWSJENNlE) July 23, 2026
Others confessed that they genuinely thought Jennie and Kai had rekindled their romance after all these years.
“I thought they had gotten back together,” one fan commented.
Another criticized the media’s wording, saying, “These clickbait headlines are unbelievable.”
One user added that they briefly believed history was about to be made with one of K-pop’s most talked-about former couples reuniting.
Although the article ultimately referred to Jennie’s on-screen chemistry with Nah Kai rather than EXO’s Kai, the misleading headline quickly became a topic of discussion in its own right.
The incident also reignited conversations about how entertainment headlines can blur the line between promotion and speculation, especially when they involve celebrities with highly publicized dating histories.
For now, there is no indication that Jennie and EXO’s Kai have reunited. Instead, the viral moment appears to have been driven largely by a headline that many readers felt was intentionally designed to create confusion—and it certainly succeeded in getting everyone’s attention.
