SEOUL – South Korean actress Han So-hee has acknowledged her relationship with South Korean actor Ryu Jun-yeol, as she said their relationship began after he ended his previous one.
In a post on her personal blog on March 16, she wrote “it’s true that I’m in a relationship with good feelings, but please don’t use the word ‘rebound’”, the Yonhap News Agency reported. She did not mention the name of the person involved in the relationship.
The acknowledgement came a day after rumours of her romance with Ryu spread online.
According to social media posts, Han, 29, and Ryu, 37, were reportedly seen vacationing together at a luxury hotel swimming pool in Hawaii.
Amid the circling dating rumours, Ryu’s agency released an official announcement.
“It is true that Ryu is staying in Hawaii for photography work. We kindly ask (the public) to respect the actor’s (privacy) on his trip. In the future, (we) will not respond to every rumour that comes from (the public) witnessing actors’ private lives,” read the statement by CJes Studios.
The agency representing Han, 9 Ato Entertainment, said via South Korean media outlets that “it is true that Han went on a vacation to Hawaii with close female friends, but regarding the rest, we kindly request understanding (in declining to respond to any dating rumours) as it falls within the range of (Han’s) privacy”.
After the rumours were reported by news media, Ryu’s former girlfriend, singer-actress Hyeri, wrote, “Interesting”, on her Instagram account, accompanying a photo reminiscent of Hawaii.
Hyeri, 29, and Ryu ended their seven-year relationship in November 2023. This led some netizens and fans to suspect Ryu might have started seeing Han before the official break-up.
Han’s letter clarified that their romantic feelings developed only in 2024, well after the break-up.
Ryu’s talent agency, CJeS Studio, also issued a statement on March 16, confirming that Ryu has been seeing Han with positive feelings towards her since early this year.
It also emphasised that the relationship developed after his prior one ended.
The agency then warned against malicious rumours and insults, stating they severely infringe upon the actor’s rights.
Currently, Han and Ryu are reportedly reviewing lead roles in a drama series titled Delusion, which narrates the story of an artist who takes on the task of drawing the portrait of an alluring woman.
Han gained wider recognition after playing a young mistress in the hit K-drama The World Of The Married (2020), and recently starred in the Netflix period thriller Gyeongseong Creature (2023 to present).
Ryu rose to prominence after acting in K-drama Reply 1988 (2015 to 2016), which also starred Hyeri. He was named Best Actor at the Baeksang Arts Awards in April 2023 for his role as a visually disabled royal acupuncturist in the period mystery drama The Night Owl (2022). THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
