Famous stars making their love stories public always raises fierce debate about the impact this action has on their work and public image. Especially when two K-pop artists fall in love, it can be a “boost” for their reputation, but sometimes it is the factor that “kills” both of their careers.
This topic attracted attention again when singer HyunA posted a photo on Instagram of her and former HIGHLIGHT member Junhyung holding hands on the beach. It is considered a move to publicize the love story of both parties.
Singer HyunA freely posted a photo on Instagram of her and former HIGHLIGHT member Junhyung holding hands on the beach. Photo: IG NV.
The love story of HyunA and her lover is full of “scandalous” controversy
Although the two have yet to directly confirm their relationship, fans have no doubts about their romance. Many people cited online posts, hinting at HyunA and Junhyung’s trip together to a local restaurant a few months ago.
However, this is not the first time HyunA has been noticed for her personal matters.
In 2018, she publicly announced her relationship with Dawn, a member of PENTAGON, a boy band under her management company Cube Entertainment. Despite their long relationship and engagement in February 2022, the two announced their separation nine months later.
HyunA’s relationship with Dawn has been through many ups and downs, as they were both expelled from Cube for making their relationship public without first discussing it with their management company.
HyunA and Dawn broke up after only a few months of engagement. Photo: Nates.
The fallout from the relationship also caused a setback for boy band PENTAGON, which had a promising future at the time. Dawn’s passing dealt a heavy blow to the group, which was later shared by the remaining members in 2020 when they appeared on Mnet’s reality show “Road to Kingdom.”
The boy band said, “We went through periods of member reform and people talked about us behind our backs. We were really desperate during that time.”
Considering how HyunA and Dawn’s relationship affected their careers, new concerns have arisen among HyunA’s fans about her possible relationship with Yong, especially due to his controversial past.
In 2019, Junhyung was caught up in a scandal related to sharing a “hot clip” secretly filmed with singer Jung Joon-young, the central figure of the “Burning Sun scandal”. Junhyung’s management company later admitted that he was involved in sharing videos and making inappropriate comments about women with Jung.
Fans expressed their discomfort on Instagram, causing HyunA’s post to be flooded with mixed comments. One Instagram user stated: “If you think about the number of women who have suffered from the scandal, this is horrifying as a woman.” While another person called on the female artist to “Stay away from him”.
Publicizing your love life: Good or bad?
These stories raise questions about the impact of public relationships on the careers of K-pop stars.
According to experts, changing perceptions surrounding idol love stories have caused a more tolerant attitude from audiences to emerge in recent years.
Music critic Jung Min-jae told The Korea Times: “Until the 1990s when Korean idols first rose to prominence and continuing into the late 2000s, admitting romantic relationships was almost taboo.
Even at this point, fans still find it somewhat offensive. However, the difference is that many people have accepted that it is natural for idols to have a love life, as long as it does not interrupt their idol career activities. The audience is more willing to “tolerate” that.”
Jisoo (BLACKPINK) once announced her boyfriend but quickly broke up after that. Photo: All Kpop.
However, making love public still tends to hurt K-pop artists. Mr. Jung gave various reasons, emphasizing that K-pop idols often adhere to a “meticulously crafted image.”
“Being an idol is a profession that focuses on presenting a flashy appearance. It’s a job that involves creating and selling “images” that are far from reality, and Korean fans perceive Be aware of that,” he said.
“Fans appreciate glimpses of a slightly more human side of their favorite idols, but they don’t want to delve into more detail, such as personal habits or the intricacies of their personalities. their love life. Mostly, fans admit the existence of these aspects, but in general they like them to be well hidden,” the music critic added.
He also raised potential problems for their careers.
“Furthermore, when publicizing their relationship, Korean media continuously featured them both in articles and TV shows. That shifted the focus to the love aspect rather than being recognized as artists.
Diehard fans who support these artists will certainly express their disapproval, especially in Korea, where the ethical expectations of celebrities are quite strict. When fans learn that their beloved idol is in a relationship with someone whose morals are questionable, it is possible that even the most dedicated fans may support a breakup,” he said. speak.