Chen from Exo announced his wedding plans last month.
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https://scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3050211/how-marriage-can-make-or-break-k-pop-stars-career-and-why Entertainment
How marriage can make or break a K-pop star’s career, and why some hide their wedded status and parenthood
- After Exo’s Chen recently announced his upcoming marriage, a number of K-pop stars have come forward to admit they had tied the knot
- It’s a risky proposition; K-pop fans obsessive love can turn to hatred if they feel abandoned
When Taemin and Min Hyo-rin tied the knot in 2018, fans accepted it, maybe because the couple didn’t try to keep their relationship secret.
By Lee Jae-hoon
K-pop star Chen of boy band Exo took devoted fans by surprise last month when he announced his upcoming marriage to his pregnant girlfriend.
While many of the fans supported Chen’s straightforward approach and defended celebrities’ right to privacy, many others were annoyed by the announcement. Some angry fans even took to the streets to demand Chen’s withdrawal from Exo.
The drama was a reminder of how difficult yet important it is for well-loved stars to be open about their private lives – and particularly about their relationships. In the weeks after Chen made the surprise announcement, several other stars came forward to reveal their marital status.
Last week, Lee Jae-hoon, the lead singer of Cool, a K-pop trio who ruled the music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, confessed that he had been married for more than 10 years and is the father of two children. The 46-year-old old-school K-pop heart throb broke the news in an article posted in an online fan community, saying: “I am here to confess a truth that I have hidden so far.”
Having made his debut at a young age, Lee said he wasn’t sure what he should reveal about his private life to the public. “I met someone I love and time passed by while I was unable to make it public,” he said, revealing that he tied the knot in 2009, having a daughter in 2010 and then a son in 2013. “Having realised [in hindsight] that if I had been honest in the first place, [fans] might have blessed and supported our family. I am very sorry,” he said.
Korean actor Sung Joon revealed last week that he was married and had a child.
Actor Sung Joon also made a similar confession last week. The 30-year-old fashion model-turned-television actor, who is currently doing military service, revealed through his management agency that he got married in 2018 before he joined the armed forces and later had a child.
“I wanted to make protecting [the privacy of my wife and child] the top priority,” he said in a statement released through his management agency, O& Entertainment.
“Ahead of my enlistment, I thought it was the best choice ... I feel sorry that I was not able to come out with the good news right away,” he said.
Last week, Gil Seong-joon from hip-hop duo Leessang disclosed he had been married for three years and had a son
Returning to the public eye in an episode of a TV variety show last week, Gil Seong-joon, a TV celebrity and member of hip-hop duo Leessang, disclosed that he had been married for three years and had a son. He had been out of the limelight for three years after a drink driving incident.
If history is any guide, a star’s decision to get married can make or break their show business career.
Sungmin, a member of popular boy band Super Junior, has been excluded from the band’s activities since June last year after his surprise marriage to a musical actress in 2014 resulted in a backlash from some fans, who complained the decision was made behind their backs.
Meanwhile, the marriage of Taeyang of BigBang to actress Min Hyo-rin in 2018 was accepted by devoted fans.
The couple’s wedding was widely supported after they openly discussed their five-year relationship. During that period, Min was Taeyang’s muse and inspired his 2014 hit song Eyes, Nose, Lips, which went on to win the top digital single title at the 2014 Golden Disc Awards.
Read the full story at Korea Times