On July 17, an emotional claim erupted across online platforms alleging a romantic relationship between NewJeans' Hanni and RIIZE's Anton.

The unverified post, titled "RIIZE's Anton Is Dating NewJeans' Hanni," quickly gained traction, amassing over 175,000 views within hours of its publication on a prominent online community.

However, the author behind the viral post provided no substantial evidence to support their assertion.

Instead, the claim was founded on vague statements about overlapping interests and activities between the two idols.

Come here and comment. The two have too many things that overlap.

- Author

Despite lacking tangible proof or the customary photographic evidence often associated with such rumors, the post drew significant attention and sparked a heated debate among netizens.

This lack of evidence should prompt us to approach such claims with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Criticism swiftly followed the post's virality, with many condemning the author for what they perceived as baseless gossip and malicious intent.

READ MORE: Is NewJeans Hanni Losing Her Hair? Netizens in Uproar 

 The backlash highlighted concerns about the proliferation of unsubstantiated rumors within online communities, mainly targeting idols who already face intense scrutiny from fans and the public alike.

• "When I look at RIIZE, it feels like Wonbin and Anton are targeted by gallery trolls... It's pitiful... Seems like the gallery trolls are also marking their territory here, gathering to spread fake news "
• "Who do these bastards think they are, trying to criticize both RIIZE and NewJeans? LOL, let's just ignore them." 

Furthermore, suspicions were raised about the origin of the claim, with some users attributing it to DC Inside, a notorious online community known for its controversial and often speculative content.

DC Inside has previously been involved in similar incidents targeting individuals and groups within the entertainment industry, including NewJeans, in the aftermath of their conflict with HYBE.

• "Seriously, they didn't even post about overlapping sponsorships or anything common like that, yet this random post with just random words is getting so many likes? It's obvious it's all manipulated, yuck."
• "Who's next, Wonbin, Seongchan, now Anton?? I'm sick of it, seriously. Stop ruining other people's promotions."
• "You have to at least provide some evidence to support your claims, why are they just blindly agreeing with this?"
• "I saw them yesterday, and yeah, it seemed a bit intense, haha. They covered the same English songs, did similar challenges around the same time, and Anton mimicked Hanni's ad-libs. Hanni suddenly liking dinosaurs too, hehe."

In response to the allegations, supporters of both Hanni and Anton emphasized the importance of factual reporting and responsible online behavior.

They urged fellow netizens to refrain from spreading unfounded claims that could potentially harm the reputations of those involved. This call to action highlights each individual's influential role in shaping the online narrative. 

ALSO READ: NewJeans 'Supernatural' Receives Backlash For Using Murakami Flowers As Album Cover 

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Cassidy Jones.