I didn’t post about the Lee Byung Hun and Lee Min Jung dating rumors back in April because both sides quickly denied it and I figured that if it was true they would reveal it when they were ready otherwise quietly break up and none would be the wiser. My gut instinct told me it was true since it was too far out to be the conjecture of fan shippers, plus rumors had him bringing her to meet his family and that was pretty specific instances of dating. Cut to four months later and finally the rumors can be laid to rest – both Lee Min Jung and Lee Byung Hun have just released public statements mutually confirming their relationship. I….don’t know what to think honestly.
I like them both, but this pairing immediately brings to mind Tom Cruise dating Katie Holmes. We have one huge K-superstar dating a younger up-and-coming actress. They definitely look gorgeous together, but I don’t have a good sense of their real life personalities and interests to say whether or not this is one union that will last. They’ve been dating since early 2012 and when the rumors first broke back in April, it was yet early in their relationship so neither side wanted to confirm it at that time. Understandable. Now they have decided to go public because the relationship has turned serious. But contrary to the latest rumors that a wedding has been scheduled for November, Lee Min Jung has stated that there are no wedding plans at this time. Since it doesn’t matter what I (or anyone else thinks), I want to congratulate the happy couple on finding each other and deciding to go public to share their happiness with their fans!
Lee Byung Hun’s most famous ex-dating history was when he dated young Song Hye Kyo after they did All In together. The relationship lasted for about two years and then quietly ended. Lee Min Jung has never been romantically linked with any public entertainment figure since she entered the industry. There actually isn’t a huge age gap, as Lee Byung Hun was born in 1970 while Lee Min Jung was born in 1982, giving them a twelve year age difference (which is just a year more than Lee Byung Hun and Song Hye Kyo who is a ’81er). I usually try to keep mum about celebrity dating rumors until the couple in question decides to go public, because chances are the rumors are true (where there is smoke there is fire), but that doesn’t matter since that couple can easily break up before walking down the altar.
With that said, since its yet another case of dating-rumors-confirmed, I’ll throw out a couple of long standing dating rumors in K-ent. Gong Yoo has been rumored for a long time to be dating Im Soo Jung, and the rumors even heated up this year that the two secretly got married and filed for a marriage certificate. Both sides continue to deny it. Other notable dating rumors are Kang Ji Hwan and Jang Hee Jin which started in 2010, and most recently Gong Hyo Jin just broke up with Ryu Seung Bum after ten years of dating amidst rumors that she and her Love Fiction co-star Ha Jung Woo are now together. While the above three possible couples remain just rumors, Lee Min Jung and Lee Byung Hun have just outed themselves as Korea’s newest power couple.
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wow...i don't know what to say, but to be honest i don't like this pairing, i find LBH too old for her...but no matter what my opinion, it's both of them who have the right to choose so i still cheering for them :D
I don't care about the age difference. But I do care about the scandal-ridden history of LBH--not his relationship with SHK but a lawsuit filed by a woman against him not long ago. Anyway. Good luck to both. sigh...
unfortunately, I share your opinion
I too share the same opinion. Slightly, sceptical... Anyway, all the best to them for finding each other.
What was the lawsuit about?
You can read it here:
http://kpoprants.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/%E2%96%BA%E2%96%BAactor-lee-byung-hun-in-deep-scandal-for-luring-girl-into-bed/
Thanks for sharing. What a weird lawsuit/situation. I hope for their LMJ's sake it isn't true!
im with koala...when the first dating rumors surfaced i just knew there was truth to it somehow, cause it was just too totally random between lmj and lee byung hun.
that being said, lee byung hun is one man with too much scandal-baggage. i dont know about you guys, but have you ever heard of the x-files?no not the tv series. its like a huge secret,compiled version of gossips of top korean stars that news outlets did way back in 2003(?) anyway its pretty old but lee byunghun and song hye gyo was part of that documents. and it didnt paint lee byunghun in a good light at all. it claimed that the he was too domineering of the relationship and that he wanted to do "weird positions" in bed, and thats why shk wanted out of the relationship. Anyway it sounds too ridic to believe right?but since then he's been having persistent rumors of perversion...most recently that scandal which saima mentioned...so I think LBH just might be that kind of man. If it is, sucks for minjung then.
Yes. But I am not concerned about the "weird positions" but in this file, what really appalls me is allegedly he has the habit of beating people up.
Enough said. I want my Gil Teacher back. TT
is there anywhere i can find that compilation of gossip, it sounds interesting
I really wanted to know more about these x files, sadly it is nowhere to be found and people who read it don't liek to share it. Has even stories about K-actress who sold themselves to gain main roles.
Well, the only thing I know is that my Moon Geun Young ins't in that X-file and this makes me happy! ^^
"that he wanted to do weird positions in bed". - the last scandal he had was with a gymnast. Maybe she somehow filled his bed fantasy. Gymnast and her flexible body. haha
Agree..he has too much negative baggage.
Sorry but I dont believe in that X-file program. They always reported the biggest bullcrap there ever was.
It's the same program which said that Gong Yo and Jo In Sung were in a secret gay relationship with eachother. They always talked about supposedly knowing the sex lives of korean celebrities or who sold themselves to who, but they never even had a single evidence to backup their claim. X-Files was like the korean version of garbage gossip news like the Inquirer here in the US.
I dont know what's there to worry about...Lee Min Jung is an adult and it is not secret in Korea how sexually active LBH is...since Lee Min Jung decided to get with him, she knows all about it. I am pretty sure, they've already been physically intimate before, since Lee Min Jung has been seen many times in Lee Byung Hun's place. You guys really think nothing happened while they were by themselves, with LBH's reputation and all?
I dont like how some people in here paints Lee Min Jung as the innocent, pure, virginal and naive victim here and Lee Byung Hun as the big bad wolf. They are both consenting adults. Lee Min Jung decided to get into a relationship with him, knowing how he is, so this doesn't make her a clueless victim, but a willing participant. What makes people think that she doesn't enjoy it? I mean, all of us have different sexual preference, so maybe she finds him satisfying.
I went to soompi and other messageboards and it was so weird how others keep saying "poor Gong Yoo"...as if he actually gives a flying Fvk about Lee Min Jung's decision. He never even said that he had feelings for Lee Min Jung, so it kind of infuriates me, when I see fans making Gong Yoo out tobe this pitiable guy who got dumped, when there was never anything between them to begin with!
@sarah
Just to clarify: the X-files wasn't a so-called "program" or show on TV.
It was a confidential report commissioned by a top advertising agency
"to determine the value of potential models and minimize risk factors for advertisers." The research firm then interviewed several tabloid reporters, who passed on both facts they knew which the public didn't AND unconfirmed rumors.
The report was then leaked online.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/23/business/worldbusiness/23iht-laundry24.html
http://twitchfilm.com/news/2005/01/korean-entertaiment-industry-rocked-by-entertainers-x-file.php
Whether true or not (and indeed a sizeable percentage has been confirmed true in the years since 2005), the point is these things were being whispered about within entertainment circles. And image is a valuable commodity in that industry.
Of course some actors and actresses have achieved their status by sheer dint of hard work and luck, but as the Jang Ja-yeon case showed, Korean entertainment also has a seedy underbelly.
@brownrice:
I agree, he has the fame of being a sex addict, and being S&M but I what make people think LMJ don't enjoy this lol maybe she likes sex as much he likes and they match in the bed very well.
As for what happens behind closed doors between consenting adults, that's between the two of them.
Good luck to them.
@brownrice: three cheers for your comment! I could care less what consenting adults choose to do in the bedroom, as long as there's no abuse involved.
@Yoonah h, i remember that, it got so huge because even the innocent looking Han Ga In was part of that X-File.
The thing is though, those 10 tabloid reporters were given vouchers worth 200,000 won each for their information and most of the information they have given, they weren't able to provide evidence to backup most of their claim. Out of the many so called "confidential top secret reports" they have submitted, only very few reporters were able to provide truthful info....I will not mention the names of those who were confirmed truth , but yeah, I dont think its a good idea to put too much weight on what 10 paid tabloid reporters have to say, espescially if all they can do is talk about other people's bedroom antics, as if they were really there to witness it all. Like it was so ridiculous how they gave a full blow, by blow account on what this one actress supposedly did in the bedroom to her lover, as if they were there to see everything.
They also claimed that Gong Yoo and Jo In Sung are not only bestfriends but also sex gay mates.LOL
Lee Byung Hun supposedly has a black book where he kept tabs of all the actresses that he has slept with and he would grade them from 1-10 with 10 as the highest score. He supposedly gave Song Hye Kyo the lowest grade....like hello!!!!!! As if a famous star like LBH would be stupid to do that and would be dumb enough to share it to the reporters.
As for me, I just know that I espescially wouldn't trust it, knowing that the info has been purposely leaked and altered before it's been spread online. Furthermore, those reporters were paid.
I believe in the saying that innocent until proven guilty. No eveidence=no crime.
^the celeb xfile thing was so ridiculous it said that he slept with Lee Young Ae, Choi Ji woo, Kim Ha Neul, Lee Eun Joo,Shim Eun Ha, Song Hye gyo, Yoon Eun Hye & pretty much all the actresses he's worked with and that he did a lot of freaky weird stuff with them. It said that he gave Yoon Eun Hye almost a 100 perfect score out of all the women that he had sexx with cause she was the best in bed.
Most of those women above, aside from Son Hye Gyo who was his girlfriend at that time, were actresses that he's collaborated with more than once. If there was any truth to those slanderous rumors about him, they would'nt maintain a good relationship with him or invite him to their wedding.
This X-file thing came out in January 2005. Flippin tabloid people who've gotten paid put those nasty stuff without even any proof.
And to those who claim to be Lee Min Jung fans, if they were really her fans, they would give her a lot more credit instead of doubting her. I dont think Lee Min Jung is stupid to be in a serious relationship with a man with those kind of perverted habits.
I'm not saying that LBH and LMJ are not getting it on, cause I'm sure they do, just like any normal healthy couple would...but I dont believe that whole X-Files bullshit!
This is why they say that it's true that gossip has wings. Because as it is being passed from one person to another, it takes on a totally different form and becomes so twisted from the original story.
Lee Byung Hun's X-File did not mention Yoon Eun Hye whatsoever! Antis just made up the story to slander her name. Here is the link to Lee Byung Hun's Celebrity X-Files http://orbi.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=xi_agit_pix&wr_id=98916 as everyone can see, that is proof that Yoon Eun Hye's name was not involved in his file whatsoever and that anti fans just made up the story of Yoon Eun Hye being in his perverted file to make her look bad.
Furthermore, Lee Byun Hyun's X-File was filed under the rumor category not in the confirmed category unlike other celebrity X-Files.
I wish people would be more careful, when they talk about others, cause it's unfair that some innocent people's name and reputation are being tainted or dragged into the mud.
@k-mama
Oh, I agree with you. Most of the stuff in there was plain ridiculous and obviously untrue. But thing is, they weren't meant to be gospel truth, those tabloid reporters weren't paid to serve up facts. All the research firm wanted from them was RUMORS -- because assessing image and endorsement power was the original objective of that file. It was never meant to be for public consumption or witch hunting.
I remember my favorite totally random rumor from the X-file was that Han Ji-hye and Han Ye-seul were frenemies with this super intense rivalry -- if their agency gave one a drama/car/designer bag/what-have-you, the other one wanted, no, MUST HAVE one too. Who knows if it was true or not, but it was so delightfully petty and random that I was entertained. ;)
I am nervous about this relationship. Him being so much older than her, and she's being so new in the entertainment business. As someone mentioned, his scandal with this very young woman. I hope he's not a womanizer. Oh well..hope they can prove us wrong by staying together for a very long time.
New power couple :) Neato! I don't follow any gossip unless it goes super mainstream. I am not a fan of either in particular but I think it's always really great when people find each other :) I wish them all the best and hope it ends in a very happily ever after.
Omg! I was so shocked! XD I'm quite happy about this one though. So much pretty. *____*. Imagine what their kids would look like (Lol I'm always a step ahead) ~ But dayuuum.. 12 years. Well it's my average age gap for all the celebs I like. ;) age is nothing but a number.
Lee Byunghun of The good, the bad, the weird is the hottest of all lee byunghuns. If he met Gil teacher... Hahaha. Ah. I don't even know what I'm saying, excuse the ramblings. Hope it works out for the two. Could end tomorrow like Lee Minho and Park Minyoung. But they could also live happily ever after with their pretty babies.
I like Im Soojing and Gong Yoo in finding mr. destiny... But if they're secretly married I probably will cry.
She knows how to find a man that can push her career upward.That's how it works in entertainment industries.
Well that's just rude.
Lol. You have to really go to Korea to see how popular LMJ is. Yes.(11 CFs..more than Kim Tae Hee). She is not as "big" as LBH, because she is 12 years younger than him. When he came out into the showbiz, she was only an elementary school kid.
In fact, you should see how Korean fans react to this. (Not through the news, but real-time responses on DC and twitter). I am really worried that LMJ's career is over. She is a CF queen with pure and girl-next-door image. Now, with this, especially given that all Koreans know about LBH's scandals, I wonder whether her contracts would be exterminated.
There is also a reporter writing on his twitter: "how many times you have said "you are the most precious person to me?"" Because he also said the same thing about Song Hyo Kyo years ago. Anyway. Not to undermine their relationship, but I really have reservation about this couple.
Lee Min Jung having 10 more CF's than Kim Tae Hee means nothing though. It was explained in a korean article before. Lee Min Jung gets paid a lot less than say Kim Tae Hee, Song Hye Kyo, Yoon Eun Hye, Lee Young Ae and Kim Hee Ae. While Lee Min Jung has to bust her ass of doing 10 CF's, those other women mentioned in the article, only have to do 2 or 3 and get paid more than 10 Lee Min Jung CF's.
Here's an excerpt from Dong-A Ilbo's news article:
What do Lee Young-Ae, Song Hye-Kyo, Jun Ji-Hyun, Yoon Eun-Hye, Choi Ji-Woo and Kim Hee-Ae, Kim Tae Hee have in common? They are the 'Special A Level' actresses who makes your heart flutter with mere mentioning of their name. Another common bond they share is that you can continue to meet them through CF (Commercial Film)s even if it gets difficult to see them in a drama or a movie..
It's important to understand that THE NUMBER of advertisement contracts or CFs do not accurately portray a star's status in Korea, and not all 'A list' or 'Top Stars' are at an equal level status.
It also doesn't mean that a big star has lost their popularity if they don't get much internet news coverage during the quiet period, as the biggest few stars aren't usually mentioned or searched continuously on the net. CFs and/or advertisement contracts also differ a lot in guarantee pay, and the specification of the contracts are very different for different level stars/corresponding CFs.
The contract/pay for appearing in a CF depends on the advertiser's preference, consumer's awareness and interest (of the star), and is divided into 'Special A Level', 'A Level', 'B Level', 'C Level' and etc.
[Source: Dong-A Daily]
Lee Min Jung is not even included amongst the highest paid actreses in Korea. So don't be fooled by all that media coverage that she's getting, cause that's just her agency overzealous promotion of her. She is a rising star, yes, but not considered the same level as the other women mentioned in the above article.
Whatever LMJ's status is in Korea, one cannot deny that LBH has a not so good reputation in his personal life.
One thing about LMJ and LBH's love affair proves one thing: you cannot overlook the rumors circulating among the entertainment circle and the netizens. So all the rumors about LBH are very likely to be true. Besides, that lawsuit by the woman in Canada was real and known to the public, which had extensive media coverage in Korea for the length of several months. Today, many Korean netizens talk about how shocking it is to see these two together, not only the age difference, not only the difference in status, but also the difference in their personal "histories."
Yes. LBH is an excellent actor and everyone knows about it. I knew about him even way before Korean Wave. He is definitely hard working and a known perfectionist. Look at the way he picked up his English in three months!
But my concern is, whether LBH is a nice person or not. This is not a person who only has one scandal, but multiple scandals. I respect his works and his acting, but I cannot say the same thing about his personal life. There are just too many incidents.
Anyway. It's LMJ's personal choice. I hope that she has a clear head.Also don't rush into the marriage.
Yeah I agree ennui, Lee Byun Hun's personal scandals is a cause for alarm. A lot of people say he is into S & M stuff. I just hope that if it is indeed true, that Lee Min Jung can handle him, or at least tame him in some way.
It was said that Song Hye Kyo couldn't handle his sexual libido.
I just hope that they will have a happy and healthy relationship and if it doesn't end up working out, I hope it wont ruin LMJ.
Woah an unexpected pairing but congrats. I didn't know Gong Hyo Jin broke up with her longterm boyfriend that is so sad. They were so cute together.
And @ smileys comment I think it is really rude to say that. You make Lee Min Jung sound like she's calculated this which I don't think is true!
sigh. Its gong yoo or nothing for me.... looks like its going to nothing. boo hoo sob sob
I thought LBH was good with SHK...
Not sure how I feel about LBH and LMJ, but if they are serious about each other, wish them all the best!
What I really really wanted is to hear similar news of our Cola couple!!!
One thing I know for sure and that is Lee Min Jung will have it easier in her career from now onwards. Being in a relationship with a top international star like Lee Byun Hun, espescially if she were to become his wife, is like winning the lottery, a lot of perks comes with it, better scripts, more CF's and even international fame. The girl sure knows how to use her head....but there's no free ride, there's a huge price to pay from all that prestige, Lee Byun Hun is known in the industry as a sex addict and his history with women is not good at all, it even includes a lawsuit and was a huge scandal in Korea.
Err... Lee Byung Hun is not a top international star. He has only had a minor role in a bad Hollywood flick, namely GI Joe - which I did see. Except for Korean-friendly moviegoers or drama-lovers, he is nowhere near international recognition, except in Asia maybe.
I find it rather amusing to proclaim such fame and the same goes with Rain and his role in Ninja Assassin and other supposedly global Korean stars.
I totally agree with this comment. So sick of reading how Korean 'X' (insert name) is taking over the American industry (Hollywood or Billboard) from Korean news sources. It is funny. I love LMJ and don't know much of LBH but I watch Korean dramas. I am a big fan of Moon Geun Young but she is an unknown here to mainstream America. And No Boa is not mainstream either. Tom Cruise, Charlize Theron. That is international fame.
i agree with u. He's maybe famous in korea, but not a top international actor. Bi rain more famous overseas even hollywood
I have to agree with @ennui as his scandal with Kwon Mi-yeon has painted LBH in a real bad light and unlike everyone else, I believe that age does matter. So I am def not fond of this official couple.
@enz: although your comment was not meant to be funny, you've cracked me up. Fighting! :)
it was meant to be funny. Luckily my body makes the exact same chemical for real love as well as delusional ones!!
Well, then, here, some tissue to wipe your tears. :D