Red Velvet’s Irene and SHINee’s Minho have once again found themselves at the center of dating rumors after a brief interaction during SMTOWN Live in Fukuoka.
During the concert’s closing segment, Minho was seen playfully teasing Irene. She responded by lightly hitting him on the arm, smiling as the two continued interacting on stage.
260201 슴콘 후쿠오카 막콘 엔딩
샤이니 민호 레드벨벳 아이린
장난치는거 진짜 귀여움🥰#SHINee #Redvelvet pic.twitter.com/kD2RODz8cg
— 베이지그레이그린 (@beigegreygreen) February 2, 2026
While the moment was short and casual, clips of the interaction quickly spread online, especially on X, where fans began sharing and replaying the footage.
Minho beaten by Irene who is half the size as him pic.twitter.com/w59jDHtVdY
— 🐇🌱🌛🔥🗝 💎 (@Shinee091291) February 1, 2026
As the video gained traction, it eventually reached Korean online community sites. A viral post questioning whether the two idols could be dating sparked strong reactions, with many netizens pushing back against the speculation. Some pointed out that the interaction appeared friendly rather than romantic, while others criticized how easily casual moments between idols turn into dating rumors.
joy: minho oppa!
seulgi: minho oppa!
irene: ya! 😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/8ZL4zWUV2C pic.twitter.com/iEKX1yOcCz
— 슬린 (@seurrene_) February 1, 2026
Several commenters also noted Minho’s well-known personality, explaining that he is naturally playful and often interacts similarly with other artists under SM Entertainment.
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- “How many people is Irene even supposed to be dating at this point? LOL At least pick one and stick to it.”
- “Irene doesn’t even have a single dating rumor that’s come out through an article, so how many ‘boyfriends’ have you guys made up for her now?”
- “By that logic, is she dating [NCT WISH] Sion, too? Every time something happens, you say they’re dating LOL”
- “Minho’s always been the playful type, and he acts like that with other SM female idols too, not just Irene.”
- “OP, you’re a total loser with no friends, right?”