A harmless, heart-warming moment between IU and Park Bo-gum at the AAA 2025 ceremony has unexpectedly spiraled into controversy dragging Lee Jong-suk, IU’s longtime boyfriend, into a wave of inappropriate comments.
The viral clip, shared widely on Asian social media on December 9, captured Park Bo-gum’s bright reaction upon seeing IU backstage. The actor happily invited her to join him on the electric cart heading to the red carpet, gently holding her hand to help her onto the vehicle. His considerate, gentlemanly manner quickly won the hearts of fans.
The video has since amassed 7.7 million views and 1.2 million likes, proving its explosive reach.
While many viewers celebrated the 13-year friendship between IU and Park Bo-gum, others crossed boundaries by “shipping” them and ignoring IU’s real relationship with Lee Jong-suk.
Some rude comments included:
- I know they’re close friends, but they would be a perfect real-life couple.
- If IU and Park Bo-gum get married, it would be the wedding of the century.
- Honestly, Park Bo-gum matches IU more than Lee Jong-suk does.
These remarks quickly drew backlash across Korean and international forums, with fans urging others to respect both IU’s friendship with Park Bo Gum and her relationship with Lee Jong Suk.
Many pointed out that such comments, if seen by the artists, could damage friendships and put stress on real relationships.
IU and Lee Jong-suk publicly confirmed their relationship at the end of 2022. Since then, the actor has openly shown support for IU greeting her affectionately at airports, attending events, and even appearing at the H.E.R Seoul concert in March 2024 to cheer her on.
IU once spoke warmly about her boyfriend during an interview two years ago: “Of course I talk about acting with my boyfriend. When filming gets difficult, I seek advice from him, Yoo In-na, and other seniors and colleagues.”
The couple has been spotted wearing matching items multiple times, further proving their close and stable bond.
IU and Park Bo-gum have been close friends for over a decade. In a Teen Vogue interview promoting their film “When Life Gives You Tangerines”, IU jokingly recalled her reaction when she learned Park Bo-gum would play the male lead: “The first thing I said was, ‘Is it okay for him to be this handsome? If he looks like that, everyone on the island would fall for him.’”
Park Bo-gum also expressed excitement: “I’ve always wanted to work with IU, both as an actress and an artist.”
Their genuine friendship made the AAA moment heart-warming—until inappropriate fan comments overshadowed it.
Sources: K14
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