There are tons of celebrities whose love we all forgot about. Get ready to say “Wait, really?!” as we revisit 14 surprising celebrity couples we might have completely forgotten ever dated.
Song Hye Kyo and Lee Byung Hun
Sparks flew between Song Hye Kyo and Lee Byung Hun while filming All In in 2003. Their relationship became public in April of that year when they returned together from a photoshoot in Italy. Rumors of an engagement swirled in June, followed by reports that they had met each other’s families and set a wedding date in August.
Despite neither side explicitly confirming their engagement, the possibility of marriage seemed real. However, things took a turn when Song Hye Kyo didn’t attend Lee Byung Hun’s father’s memorial service. Breakup rumors began to circulate, and they sadly confirmed their separation in May 2004.
Shortly after the breakup, Song Hye Kyo expressed her gratitude to Lee Byung Hun for his consistent consideration and care throughout their time together. Lee Byung Hun didn’t move on quickly as he reportedly held strong feelings for her, even calling her his “last woman.”
Both actors moved on. Song Hye Kyo was linked to Hyun Bin in 2009 and later married Song Joong Ki in 2017, but their marriage ended in divorce in 2019. Lee Byung Hun married Lee Min Jung in 2013 and they have two children together.
Kim Min Hee’s boyfriends: Lee Jung Jae, Lee Soo Hyuk and Jo In Sung
Kim Min Hee, currently known as director Hong Sang Soo’s partner, had three public relationships with male celebrities before him.
Her first public romance blossomed in 2003 when she met Lee Jung Jae on a phone service commercial. They dated despite their 9-year age gap, but their love story ended in 2007. The following year, she started dating Lee Soo Hyuk, which lasted about two years.
In 2013, Kim Min Hee found love again with actor Jo In Sung. Their relationship lasted around a year and a half. They were open about dating, saying that their shared background as former models helped them connect. After their breakup in 2014, he reflected on their relationship during a university concert, sharing that he felt he “didn’t know women well enough” and that the relationship ended because he didn’t “understand women’s hearts.”
Hyun Bin and Kang Sora
Kang Sora and Hyun Bin sparked romance in October 2016 and went public with their relationship in December. Sadly, their love story only lasted about a year and a half as their hectic schedules ultimately led to a breakup.
During their time together, Kang Sora opened up about her relationship philosophy on a TV show. “I believe in going all-in for each other,” she shared. However, Hyun Bin seemed to have a slightly different perspective. In an interview, he expressed that his ideal partner would be someone “understanding of the irregular hours of the entertainment industry.”
Ryoo Seung Bum and Gong Hyo Jin
Ryoo Seung Bum and Gong Hyo Jin were a power couple in the entertainment industry for 10 years from 2001, but they announced their breakup in August 2012. Gong Hyo Jin assured everyone that their breakup was amicable, a “mutual decision” with no major issues. Similarly, Ryoo Seung Bum offered a simple explanation. “If you’ve been in a relationship for 10 years, you can guess why we broke up,” he said. “I just felt like I wanted to take a break from dating. We didn’t fight, and neither of us said let’s break up first.”
Meanwhile, they still maintain a close friendship. In a radio show in 2020, Ryoo Seung Bum revealed that he congratulated Gong Hyo Jin on winning the Grand Prize at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards, saying, “I called her a while ago and congratulated her.” In 2017, when Bae Jung Nam posted a picture of himself with Ryoo Seung Bum on his Instagram, Gong Hyo Jin also left a friendly comment, saying, “Oh, handsome Ryoo Seung Bum is here again?”
Kim Go Eun and Shin Ha Kyun
Shin Ha Kyun and Kim Go Eun confirmed their relationship in August 2016, saying that they had been dating for two months. The two met through a scuba diving club. They started dating after talking about their work in the film industry while participating in the club’s activities. Later, Kim Go Eun’s contract with her previous agency expired and she signed an exclusive contract with Shin Ha Kyun’s current agency.
However, they decided to end their relationship after 8 months and remain as colleagues. It is reported that the reason for the breakup was their busy schedules. At the time, Shin Ha Kyun was busy filming movie Room No.7 and Kim Go Eun was busy filming tvN drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.
Bae Doona’s boyfriends: Jim Sturgess and Shin Ha Kyun
Bae Doona and Jim Sturgess first met while co-starring in the 2012 Hollywood film Cloud Atlas. They were spotted dating in the US later that year but kept their relationship private despite an acquaintance posting a photo of them online.
Finally going public, they confirmed their romance at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. Despite facing dating rumors before, they remained tight-lipped until their official red carpet appearance. Sadly, their international love story came to an end after about 3 years. It’s reported that differing life goals, with Jim desiring a family-focused wife and Bae wanting to continue acting, led to their split. Notably, this wasn’t Bae Doona’s first foray into love, as she previously dated fellow actor Shin Ha Kyun in 2001.
Kim Hye Soo and Yoo Hae Jin
Dating rumors swirled around Yoo Hae Jin and Kim Hye Soo back in 2008. They finally confirmed their relationship in January 2010, but sadly, their romance ended in April 2011. The couple reportedly sparked after co-starring in the 2008 movie Tazza: The High Rollers. However, their paths diverged after three years together.
While their busy schedules were cited as the official reason for the split, industry insiders suggested Kim Hye Soo’s mother might have played a role. According to an entertainment reporter, she allegedly disapproved of the relationship from the start. This was further fueled by reports that during marriage rumors, Kim Hye Soo’s mother stated on a TV program call, “I saw an article online, so I woke up my daughter and asked her. She said no, and the marriage is not true.”
Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung
Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung started dating in 2017. They were actually close friends since their modeling days, and that friendship led them to act together in dramas like Cheese in the Trap and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo.
Even though they became a real-life couple after playing lovers on screen, things sadly didn’t work out. They broke up after four months due to their busy schedules.
Yoon Kye Sang and Lee Hanee
Yoon Kye Sang and Lee Hanee‘s 7-year romance began in 2013 and came to a surprising end in 2020. After their split, old statements by both actors resurfaced online, sparking rumors and speculation.
Lee Jin Ho, a former entertainment journalist turned YouTuber, commented on a past statement from Lee Hanee where she expressed a lack of control over her relationship and marriage decisions. He claimed this was misinterpreted by many and mentioned her prestigious family background. He explained that Lee Hanee comes from a prominent family, with most members graduating from Seoul National University, the top university in South Korea.
He further claimed, “Lee Hanee’s family actually opposed the relationship,” and added, “Reports emerged suggesting Yoon Kye Sang was hesitant about marriage.” According to Lee Jin Ho, when Yoon Kye Sang faced criticism, he chose to remain silent to protect Lee Hanee. However, it is important to note that Lee Hanee’s agency, Saram Entertainment, vehemently denied these claims, stating they were “completely false.”
Gain and Ju Ji Hoon
Gain and Ju Ji Hoon went public with their relationship in May 2014. Gain’s agency revealed, “The two were friends and grew closer after working together on a music video, eventually starting to date.”
Just two months later, Ju Ji Hoon appeared on an SBS show. When asked about his biggest fight with Gain, he charmingly replied, “With so little time for love, where do I even find time to be angry?”
A year later, Gain took a break from activities due to health issues and pregnancy rumors swirled. Then, two years later, she took to Instagram, posting a shocking message: “I’m the girlfriend of a former drug addict.” She went on to reveal that a friend of Ju Ji Hoon’s had offered her marijuana. Sadly, the couple officially ended their relationship after three years together.
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