“I really tried to keep it hidden” No safe zone for celebrities’ romantic relationships
Whether domestically, internationally or even online, there's nowhere to hide, as there are eyes everywhere. There's no longer a "safe zone" for relationships
“I know you might not believe it, but I really tried to keep it hidden. I never expected there would be so much interest.”
These were the words spoken by actress Ryu Da-in in an interview when asked about her romantic relationship. Ryu Da-in recently admitted to dating Lee Chae-min, and their affectionate public displays, such as walking arm in arm on the streets, captured on videos, became a hot topic online. Subsequently, posts on their SNS, featuring photos of their outings, further fueled the buzz, even leading to the term “lovestagram”.
Recently, celebrities’ dating rumors often stem from sightings. With the development of SNS, anyone can share information, and society has become more accepting of receiving and disseminating information rapidly. Even if agencies try to keep secrets, a star’s schedule often appears on SNS first, and romantic relationships are no exception. Private encounters of stars spread through sightings, leading to dating rumors.
There’s no escaping scrutiny internationally either. With K-pop idols and Korean dramas gaining global attention, the number of global fans has increased, and so has their scrutiny. The dating rumors surrounding Han So-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol began in Hawaii, and it was a Japanese fan who first spread the news.
Posts suspected to be “lovestagram” online can also fuel dating rumors. Earlier this year, celebrity couples Lee Kang-in & Lee Na-eun and Seol Young-woo & Yang Ye-na faced suspicions of “lovestagram”. Traces of Lee Kang-in and Lee Na-eun traveling to Bali and Seol Young-woo and Yang Ye-na using hats and phone cases of the same design remained on SNS, sparking suspicions. However, these couples denied being in a relationship.
“Lovestagram” of Jung Eun-chae and Kim Chung-jae, who admitted to dating, was belatedly caught. In July last year, a video posted by Jung Eun-chae showed her working in a studio, which turned out to be the same place as Kim Chung-jae’s studio. They were even seen wearing aprons of the same design.
No matter how much they try to hide it, the aura of celebrities and love, like a cough, cannot be concealed. Love always finds a way to reveal itself.
