For many, durian is a fruit that divides opinions. Known as the “king of fruits”, its strong odour and creamy texture make it a bold first experience for anyone unfamiliar with it. From durian pros like GOT7’s (갓세븐) BamBam (뱀뱀/แบมแบม) to TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s (TXT) (투모로우바이투게더) Soobin (수빈), who started gagging almost instantly, reactions often swing between love and disgust.
Thankfully for aespa’s (에스파) leader Karina (카리나), that first encounter turned out to be love at first bite. During a livestream, the idol revealed that her mother had surprised her with fresh durian, marking her very first taste of the tropical fruit. The story quickly made its way to Twitter, where fan accounts shared clips and quotes that gained thousands of likes and reposts.
Karina described the amusing and heartwarming moment, saying, “I thought it was the packaged kind, but my mum suddenly put on gloves and started cutting it. I didn’t smell anything and was like, ‘Huh? I don’t smell durian.’ Then she put a huge piece in my mouth, and it was so good, so delicious.”
As the post spread, fans also began comparing her reaction to other K-pop idols who have publicly declared their love for durian. IVE’s (아이브) Wonyoung (장원영), for instance, shared a similar experience during a live on 21st September. “Oh, durian! For me, durian is so delicious. The smell was a no, I was like ‘please get it out of my hotel room,’ but when I ate it, it was sweet, creamy, soft, it’s so tasty for me,” said the idol.
Red Velvet’s (레드벨벳) Irene (아이린) also famously expressed her enthusiasm for the fruit while filming “Work & Holiday” in Bali. During the show, she playfully shouted, “I scream, you scream, gimme, gimme that durian!” Later, during the Kuala Lumpur stop of the “Balance” tour with Seulgi (슬기) on 13th September, she laughed when a fan mentioned it again, saying, “Durian? Did you just say durian? Wait a minute… I just did an amazing stage, and you commented ‘durian’, I’m going to eat it!”
From Wonyoung’s cautious curiosity to Irene’s playful outbursts and Karina’s newfound love, durian seems to have become an unexpected but charming trend among K-pop idols. Fans have even dubbed it the fruit loved by “pretty girls”.
Watch Karina reminiscing about her durian eating experience here:
@gnikgninea suka bgt kalo denger ayin cerita 🤏🏻😆 #karina #karinaaespa #aespa #f4u
♬ Funny video “Carmen Prelude” Arranging weakness(836530) – yo suzuki(akisai)
Sources: TikTok(1)(2), Twitter(1)(2)
