South Korean football star Son Heung Min has filed a criminal complaint against a woman in her 20s over suspicions of blackmail after she allegedly faked a pregnancy to extort money from him, media reports said Saturday.

While the investigation remains in its early stages, news of the complaint has quickly spread across online platforms, sparking widespread discussion among netizens and fans alike.

A post on the popular Korean online forum TheQoo has garnered over 60,000 views and more than 500 comments, with the majority of users voicing support for Son.

"Who cares how they met? LOL. The real issue is the blackmail," one user wrote. "There are seriously people these days trying to defend someone who blackmailed."

"This is exactly what a gold digger looks like," another commented.

Others emphasized Son's positive public image and longstanding reputation as a disciplined and humble athlete.

"It's just... Son Heung Min had this untouchable image, that's why. LOL..." a user wrote.

"There aren't many details yet, but regardless, blackmail is insane," another said.

Son, who currently serves as captain of the South Korean national team and plays for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, has generally avoided public controversy throughout his career.

News of the alleged incident has therefore come as a surprise to many.

Details surrounding how the woman and Son became acquainted have not been made public, and neither Son nor his agency has issued a formal statement as of Wednesday.

The Gangnam Police Station also acknowledged that it received the report, but said that it had nothing more to say about the investigation.

With interest unlikely to wane as the case works its way through the system.