Evolving landscape of romantic relationships of idols in South Korea has seen more lenient attitudes in recent years, analysts say. But disclosure of romantic relationships still tends to hurt those in the K-pop scene, with most K-pop idols typically adhering to ‘meticulously crafted images’.
The revelation of romantic connections between K-pop stars has always sparked intense debate regarding its impact on the careers of the artists and their public image.
This subject gained renewed attention when solo artist HyunA shared posted an image on Instagram of herself and former Highlight member Yong Jun-hyung holding hands at a beach, igniting speculation about a potential romance.
While the two have not directly confirmed their relationship, fans appear convinced of their romantic involvement, citing online posts about their visit together to a local restaurant a few months ago.
This is not HyunA’s first time being in the spotlight due to her personal life.
In 2018, she announced her relationship with Dawn, a member of Pentagon, a boy group under her former agency, Cube Entertainment. Despite their enduring relationship and engagement in February 2022, the two announced their separation nine months later.
HyunA’s relationship with Dawn experienced its share of challenges, as both were expelled from Cube as a result of publicly disclosing their relationship without discussing it with the agency beforehand.
The repercussions of the relationship also caused a setback for Pentagon, which had a promising future at the time. Dawn’s departure dealt a significant blow to the group, which was later addressed by the remaining members in 2020 during their appearance on Mnet’s reality show Road to Kingdom.
“We went through member reformation phases and had people gossiping behind our backs. We experienced considerable frustration during those times,” the boy band said.
Considering how the relationship of HyunA and Dawn impacted their careers, new concerns have arisen among HyunA’s fans regarding her possible association with Yong, particularly due to his controversial past.
In 2019, Yong became embroiled in a scandal related to sharing illicitly recorded sex videos with singer Jung Joon-young, a central figure in the so-called “Burning Sun scandal”. Yong’s agency later acknowledged his involvement in sharing the videos and making inappropriate remarks about women with Jung.
Fans have expressed their discomfort on Instagram, flooding HyunA’s post with concerned comments.
One Instagram user stated: “If you just think about the number of women who have suffered from the scandal … This horrifies me as a woman.”
Another urged the female artist to “Please take 10 large steps away from him”.
These instances raise questions about the impact of public relationships on the careers of K-pop stars.
According to experts, the changing landscape regarding the romantic relationships of idols has seen slightly more lenient attitudes come to the fore in recent years.
“Until the 1990s when Korean idols first emerged and continuing into the late 2000s, acknowledging romantic relationships was almost taboo,” music critic Jung Min-jae said.
“Even at this point, fans find it somewhat repellent. However, what’s different is that many have accepted that it’s a natural thing for idols to have a love life too, provided it doesn’t disrupt the activities of their idol profession. Fans nowadays are more willing to ‘tolerate’ it.”
However, the disclosure of romantic relationships still tends to hurt those in the K-pop scene. Jung outlined various reasons, emphasising that K-pop idols typically adhere to “meticulously crafted images”.
“Being an idol is a profession centred around projecting a glossy facade. It’s a job that involves creating and selling ‘images’ that diverge from reality, and Korean fans are well aware of that,” he said.
“Fans appreciate glimpses of the slightly more human side of their favourite idols, but they prefer not to delve into further details, such as personal habits or the intricacies of their love lives. Most fans do acknowledge the existence of these aspects, but generally prefer them to remain unproven.”
He also cited potential problems for their careers.
“Moreover, when relationships are made public, the Korean media constantly links the two in articles and television shows. That shifts the focus more towards the romantic aspect than being recognised as an artist,” he said.
When a star’s romantic involvement with someone embroiled in moral controversy becomes public, the challenges escalate.
“Devoted fans who have supported these artists will inevitably express their opposition, especially in Korea, where moral expectations for celebrities are quite stringent,” he explained.
“When fans learn that their beloved idol is in a relationship with someone entangled in moral issues, it’s likely that even the most dedicated fans may contemplate parting ways. This is because dating also serves as a reflection of one’s values.”
