The dating rumor between V (28, real name Kim Tae-hyung) and Jenny (27, real name Kim Jenny) surfaced in May of last year. Witness stories and photos of a man and woman presumed to be V and Jenny driving in Jeju Island heated up the fandom around the world, but at the time, Hive and YG Entertainment said they were "difficult to confirm" and made no comments.
Later, in May, a video was released showing V and Jenny holding hands on a date by the Seine River in Paris, France. The two attracted attention by enjoying a date with a dignified attitude, regardless of the gaze of the people around them. At the time, the agencies of both sides did not comment, but fans are in the mood to assume that the devotion of the two is a fait accompli.
Actor Park Seo-joon (34) also expressed his position that it was "difficult to confirm", neither positive nor negative, to the dating rumor with YouTuber Seuss (29, real name Kim Soo-yeon). On the 20th of last month, Park Seo-joon's agency, Awesome ENT, did not admit or deny it, saying, "It's private life, so it's difficult to confirm. I'm sorry." Seuss also said, "It is difficult to confirm."
Park Seo-joon also directly said, "It's difficult to say anything special" when asked about dating rumors. At the press conference for the movie "Concrete Utopia" (director Uhm Tae-hwa), which was held on the 21st, the day after the dating rumor, Park Seo-joon said, "I learned about it very late yesterday because I was filming. My first thought was, 'I'm getting a lot of attention.' The interest is something I am very grateful for.” He said, "However, in my case, I tend to feel a lot of pressure to open up my personal life, and it seems difficult to say anything special because it is a personal matter."
It is known that Park Seo-joon has a special relationship enough to introduce Seuss to his acquaintances. Photos of the two with their acquaintances were also posted on online communities, fueling the dating rumor. In addition, several posts were posted, such as the pair's shoes, as evidence of their devotion.
Hwasa (28, real name Ahn Hye-jin) also did not reveal her position on the dating rumor. On the 2nd, the agency P Nation told Ten Asia, "It is difficult to confirm because it is part of the artist's private life. We ask for your understanding. We are sorry."
According to a report on the 30th of last month, Hwasa has been dating a businessman 12 years her senior for 5 years. It is rumored that Mr. A developed into a lover through Hwa-sa's active courtship when he was engaged in the music industry five years ago.
Considering that it is common sense to deny dating rumors that are not usually true, the industry's analysis is that their 'no comment' is in fact 'recognition'. Furthermore, as the cases of stars consistently "no comment" on dating rumors accumulate, voices are raised asking whether this trend is becoming a way to deal with it.
However, opinions differ on whether stars should share their devotion with the public. As much as stars live off the love of the public, there is a perception that hiding or lying about one's private life is deceiving one's fans. On the other hand, there are also not a few opinions that the private lives of stars should be acknowledged as theirs, and that public and private should be looked at separately.
Jiye Choi, staff reporter at TenAsia wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr