Publicly dating in South Korea’s entertainment industry is quite rare: many still believe that this will ruin prospects for future roles and endorsements. But these six couples prove that a happy ending is possible for everyone.
Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin
Both major stars in South Korea, the first time Hyun Bin and Son Yejin worked with each other was actually in 2018’s The Negotiation. In this action crime thriller, Hyun Bin plays a merciless hostage taker (his first role as a villain) and Son the crisis negotiator who tries to deal with him. No romantic sparks yet, but Hyun Bin described Son as a woman with a “great gaze.” The movie was a hit, having been seen by 1m viewers in just a week.
After the movie, both Hyun Bin and Son were caught in dating rumors, hastily denied by the reps of both sides. And then the juggernaut that was Crash Landing on You happened. Let me refresh your memory of this drama: Yoon Se-ri (Son) is dealing with her dysfunctional family. She goes on a paragliding ride and runs into a tornado. She miraculously survives…on the other side of the demilitarized zone that divides the technically still at war countries of South Korea and North Korea. She meets Captain Ri-Jeonghyuk. After shenanigans, they fall in love. This was a major success in South Korea, and abroad. Son said working with Hyun Bin again was like fate.
After more dating rumors (one of which when an eagle-eyed netizen noticed that they were holding hands under the table, to which the answer of their reps was “Son Yejin was holding her own hand,”) they were announced as a couple on January 1, 2021, by Dispatch News (Dispatch is like the TMZ of South Korea, and every New Year’s they out a couple). It turns out they had developed feelings for each other after the drama.
And now they’re engaged! The happy news was released yesterday, to the joy of everyone. Because of their status as equal A-listers in South Korea, this is the rare couple where every netizen is happy about their relationship (Song Hye-kyo and Song Joongki were once this way too, but alas). Son Yejin told Yoo Jaesuk on his show You Quiz on the Block: “My love right now is my first love.”
Han Gain and Yeon Joong-hoon
Yeon Joong-hoon described the moment he fell in love with his wife Han Ga-in during the filming of their 2003 drama The Yellow Handkerchief: on the day she showed up on set, she was “radiating light,” he told his castmates on 2 Days, 1 Night. “She was shining even more brightly than usual. She looked so pretty. I completely fell for her then.” He wasn’t sure of her feelings, but she had been waiting for him to confess. The backdrop of cherry blossoms on the trees only added to the atmosphere.
They were married in 2005 when Han was 23. Due to her young age and beloved by many for her beautiful face (she was the Suzy of her time), everyone was shocked. No actress marries that young unless there is a bun in the oven, but they only married because they were truly in love. Internet commenters acted like he was an old troll under the bridge who stole her, but he was only 27 himself and hadn’t even completed his military service.
Yeon and Han have since then had a completely happy marriage, and are now the parents of two children. Yeon currently is enjoying his stint 2 Days, 1 Night and Han, known for her many projects including Moon Embracing the Sun and Architecture 101 is about to star in her first variety show, Circle House.
Kim Woo-bin and Shin Minah
Kim Woo-bin and Shin Minah first worked together in 2015 on a fashion shoot for Giordano. In the middle of the year, news broke (again, by Dispatch), that the two were dating. The couple happily dated, sending each other food trucks at their respective dramas, and politely letting interested people know they were still together.
Sad news struck in 2017 with the news that Kim was suffering from nasopharyngeal cancer. He took a hiatus from all acting activities, and Shin released a message of support. She accompanied him to all his hospital treatments. According to Soompi News, an industry source said “Many inside the hospital have said that they can’t help but send the couple their encouragement and support because the two are always seen smiling even in the midst of a very difficult situation.”
Happily, Kim survived the ordeal and afterward signed with Shin’s agency. Today their relationship is happily thriving. In an online interview, Shin described their relationship. “Since we have the same career and we support each other, we say, ‘Hwaiting!’ to each other. I also hope Kim Woo Bin does well since he’s making his return.” She added, “We’re cheering each other on.” They will star together in the upcoming drama Our Blue, his first in five years.
Choi Taejoon and Park Shinhye
Choi Taejoon and Park Shinhye had dating rumors in 2017, before being confirmed as a couple in 2018. Choi went to the military in 2019 and the two stayed happily together. During a promotional blitz for her movie #ALIVE, Park mentioned that while she and Choi hadn’t planned on going public then, the aftermath had been nice. “We’re still going strong,” she said.
In mid-2021, the couple then had marriage rumors, which were confirmed at the end of the year. Also, they’re having a baby! The wedding took place in January, and the event was much buzzed about on Social media. Park wore a gown by Oscar de la Renta, which was re-posted by the brand (for her bridal photoshoot, she wore both de la Renta and Monique Lhullier, also reposted).
Choi described his feelings for his wife: “She is like a savior to me who taught me without words to smile brightly when I’m happy and to cry out loud when I’m sad.”
Jung Kyungho and Choi Sooyoung
Jung Kyungho and Choi Sooyoung have been together for nine years. Sooyoung is the only SNSD member to have had a boyfriend that lasted this long: during the group’s heyday, it was impossible to publicly date, and when the girls relaxed and started having relationships, none of them lasted that long.
The couple met in 2012 and started dating in September of that year. Jung had publicly said that Sooyoung was his favorite member of South Korea’s National Girl Group. While in the military, he said that Sooyoung’s image had cheered him up the most: “Every girl group energized me, but Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung became the biggest help to me.”
They were confirmed to be dating in early 2013, after many dating rumors. They have since become one of the most beloved couples. Jung has openly said he wants to marry her someday, but they are holding off because Sooyoung is only just starting her career as a working actress, away from SNSD. “I’ve been dating someone for over eight years,” he said, “so I think that Choi Sooyoung is what has made me who I am,” he said, in a 2020 interview with Marie Claire.
They have been caught on public dates, comment on each other’s social media, support each other’s projects, and funniest of all, Sooyoung’s fellow SNSD members also enjoy teasing him. On a variety show to promote Jung’s drama, Hospital Playlist, Sooyoung gave him a call, giving the viewers a sweet moment to squeal over.
Hyuna and Dawn
As a rule of thumb, idols try not to date, and when the temptation gets too much, try very hard to keep that relationship secret. Otherwise, you’ll have everyone commenting on your business: nosy netizens, entertainment representatives, group members, and fans who have good intentions but often make things worse. It is often harder for a newly debuted group to deal with a dating scandal, which is why idols wait years before trying to date.
This is not what happened to Dawn. Once known as E’Dawn, he and his group Pentagon debuted in 2016 under Cube Entertainment. In 2017, he was put in a project group with his bandmate Hui and Hyuna, a member of 4Minute and one of the most popular women in South Korea. They fell in love. Cube responded by terminating both their contracts, in effect disbanding 4Minute and kicking E’Dawn out of Pentagon.
A few months later, they were both signed to PSY (of Gangnam Style fame)’s new label P Nation. E’Dawn re-debuted as a soloist, dropping the “E” from his moniker. He was now known as Dawn. Hyuna and Dawn became that rare idol couple now free to share freely their love, without having to be shy about it. They collaborated on a second single in January 2022.
On February 3, they both announced their engagement. Their uncommon ring choices, while fitting their personalities nevertheless had netizens tittering online. However, Yueun Esther Shin of Diligems defended the couple and the rings. “The rings are made of white gold with opals as their main stones and 7 diamonds of different shapes and colors,” she said on an Instagram post.
Shin described the process, saying that Dawn chose everything himself, and was beset by delays during the making. “So much love, effort, and time went into the rings and it’s low-key killing me to see people idly jumping to conclusions about the pieces without any type of proactive inquiry or due diligence,” she said, before ending with, “To be frank, the cost of their rings paid for my year’s rent.”
