7 Korean celebrity couples who overcame tough times, from K-pop idols Hyuna and Dawn, and Shin Min-ah and Kim Woo-bin, to Hallyu legend Rain and Kim Tae-hee

Nov 29 , 2021

Rain and Kim Tae-hee, Hyuna and Dawn, and Shin Min-ah and Kim Woo-bin all went through tough times as famous couples. Photos: @lacloud.official, @hyunah_aa/Instagram; Giordano

Hyuna and Dawn joined Gangnam Style star Psy’s agency after Cube Entertainment let them go, while BigBang’s Taeyang and Min Hyo-rin kept their relationship a secret

Jung Suk-won and Baek Ji-young’s nine-year age gap was criticised by their families and Rain came under fire for breaking military rules to go on dates

Dating in K-biz is never easy – stars are constantly in the spotlight and the fate of their careers is at the mercy of public perception. It’s even more difficult when celebrities embark on non-traditional relationships, such as those between older women and younger men, which can face strong criticism. And let’s not even get into LGBTQ+ relationships. So it’s not surprising that many stars with unconventional love lives end up keeping their romances a secret.

Here’s a look at some K-pop and K-drama stars who overcame tough times and ended up together.

Shin Min-ah and Kim Woo-bin

The relationship between Shin Min-ah and Kim Woo-bin has not been smooth, despite recent wedding rumours. Kim started dating Shin, who is five years older than him, a year after his split from Dior model Yoo Ji-ah. The couple confirmed their relationship in July 2015, but Kim came under fire for moving on too quickly, according to KBizoom. The couple never spoke about each other in public again, creating speculation among K-drama fans that the two wouldn’t last long.

Shin Min-ah and Kim Woo-bin kept relatively silent about their relationship. Photo: Giordano

Two years after confirming their relationship, Kim was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer, prompting Shin to take a break from her thriving career to care for him. The actress often accompanied him to the hospital, KBIZoom reports. After two years, when Kim had recovered, Shin returned to her career, starring in horror film Diva. She also recently starred in hit series Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.

The pair overcame all these hardships, from break-up rumours to a cancer diagnosis, over the span of their six years. Now, rumours are swirling that Kim and Shin are set to tie the knot this year, according to Korean variety and gossip show Rumor Has It. Could fans see a happy ending between the couple before the end of the year?