The love affairs of Korean idols have always been of particular concern in recent years. The exposure of their romance is usually different from that of other celebrities or Western singers. Usually, they rarely receive blessings. Last month, Jung Kook from BTS and the group aespa’s member Winter revealed that they are in a relationship, but neither of them gave a direct response. This action led to a significant number of fans from both sides dropping their support.
At the recently concluded SBS Music Awards, after Winter made her speech, there were no cheers or applause, which was in sharp contrast to her teammates. Many people who are not familiar with the Korean entertainment industry might think it’s overblown, but in fact, the opposite is true. In the Korean context, “idol” is not merely a synonym for “singer”, but rather a type of entertainment industry role that is systematically produced and managed. They are artists who are cultivated by the agency through a long-term trainee system. Their core activity is music performance, while they also undertake multiple functions such as image presentation, fan interaction and commercial endorsements. The core concept of “idol” is a highly planned public image and emotional object, and not merely an artistic creator.
BTS member Jung Kook (left) and aespa member Winter (right).
Kriti Nayyar pointed out in his article, there will be an increasing number of K-pop idols publicly confirming their romantic relationships. The mainstream media is undergoing a certain degree of change in their portrayal of celebrity romances. The author explicitly mentioned the negative impacts that would arise if the K-pop idols were to have romantic relationships and make their affairs public from a neutral and objective perspective. And several examples of couples were given and analyzed one by one. Furthermore, this article also demonstrates how the media has positioned the celebrity romance as a topic of lifestyle rather than a matter of moral controversy.
K-pop idols are strictly restricted in their romantic affairs. Many Korean entertainment companies explicitly prohibit romantic relationships. However, many K-pop idols get involved in relationships and these affairs are either openly acknowledged or become public knowledge, which subsequently affects their careers.
A representative example is the public announcement of a romantic relationship between HyunA and Yong Jun-hyung. As a very talented female solo K-pop singer, HyunA got involved in a relationship with a male artist who had faced a lot of negative news. This led to a significant number of her fans dropping her.
Yong Jun-hyung (left) and HyunA (right).
Furthermore, the reason why many Korean pop music stars are loved and adored is that they are “approachable and relatable”. However, once their romantic affairs become the focus, they may lose their fan base and drop in popularity rankings.
Idol definition of this term originated from the Japanese entertainment industry at the earliest. This profession is different from both actors and singers. Essentially, it is a commodity. Their job is to exert their charm and become the heartthrob of the public, providing them with services related to romantic fantasies. If their relationship were privatized, the selling points of them as commodities would disappear. In Japan, if this profession is not transformed, then when it comes to dating or getting married, they will “retire” from this career. After all, when they engage in various performing activities, they all need the financial support from their fans, such as purchasing album signings, buying related products, and participating in chart voting, etc. Fans invest their money and time, while the idols offer emotional value. This kind of investment and return are mutual. According to Mathew, this non-social relationship is built on a continuous interaction cycle, and this cycle is driven by the emotional investment of the fans.
Roy said idols are not just performers, they’re investments, icons, and fantasies, sold under the illusion of perfection.The romantic entanglements were not regarded as personal choices but as threats to the “accessibility” of the idols, thereby affecting their commercial value. Members of the famous Japanese idol group AKB48, Minami Minegishi were photographed leaving a man’s house, then she was boycotted by her fans and was forced to suspend all her activities. In order to show her sincerity in apologizing, she shaved her head and begged her fans for forgiveness (Macias).
Therefore, under the current entertainment industry structure, love is no longer merely an emotional choice, it has become a risky behavior that may lead to the collapse of one’s career.
Saxena lists ten married K-pop idols and entertainers, presenting real-life cases where they chose marriage and family life after reaching career peaks, defying the traditional expectations of the public regarding single idols.Through these cases, the author emphasizes that “romance and marriage do not necessarily hinder an idol’s career”, indicating that the industry and the public’s acceptance of an idol’s private life is changing.
The author believes that although in the history of the K-pop industry, it was emphasized that idols should remain single to maintain the fans’ fantasies. In reality, many idols still choose to enter into marriage and family life.The article indicates that some artists are able to balance their stage image with their real life during the middle or later stages of their career. The author uses these marriage stories to emphasize that love and marriage are not merely personal choices, but can also be achieved while taking into account their artistic careers.
This article mentions that Taeyang from BIGBANG got married to actress Min Hyo-rim in 2018 and they welcomed their first child in 2021. This shows that even in top idol groups, artists can have a stable family life. And both sides’ fans also like each other very much. Unlike many celebrity couples whose fans might argue with each other.
BIGBANG member Taeyang with his wife, Min Hyo-rim.
The example Taeyang getting married proves that even in the highly pressured entertainment industry, love can blossom and bear fruit. Although the entertainment industry usually has strict requirements for maintaining a single image, many idols still overcame various challenges of love and entered the realm of marriage.
As a seasoned K-pop fan myself, I have a deep understanding of the mentality of fans. K-pop idols should not shift the focus of their careers to romance without retiring first. They should be responsible towards their fans.The love restrictions within the K-pop industry reveal the persistent tension between commercial interests and individual rights. Although the idols are portrayed as idealized public figures, they are still individuals with emotional needs and personal identities. As an idol, one should not fall in love at an inappropriate time and thereby disappoint the expectations of the fans. Even if you want to fall in love, you shouldn’t let it interfere with your career. Especially for the members in a group, not only do they affect their own personal growth, they also have a significant impact on the popularity of the group as a whole. The K-pop idols are mostly determined by fans’ purchases of albums and their votes. Therefore, the success of their careers cannot be achieved without the efforts of the fans.
However, from the perspective of a normal person, falling in love in one’s twenties and getting married in one’s thirties is a normal part of life. So, in fact, they are not incapable of having the rights of a normal person.These Korean pop idols have proven that even in a highly competitive and scrutinized entertainment industry, love can blossom. Their relationships have also faced challenges, but at the same time, they have set new love role models for fans all over the world. As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, it will be very interesting to see how these idols, while continuing to attract audiences with their music and performances, also manage to balance their personal lives. Love has no boundaries, and these idols should also have the opportunity to experience love like others do. A very good example is the member of TVXQ, Changmin. It was seventeen years after his debut that he got married, and he personally wrote a letter to publicly inform his fans. And during his active career, no scandal was ever reported. He was solely focused on developing his career and was responsible for his dedication to the fans.
An opposite example would be EXO, Chen. At the end of the concert on the last day of 2019, all the EXO members and the fans were deeply moved and excited, firmly determined to work together to achieve even better results for the group in the new year. However, in the January of next year, the first piece of news we received was that member Chen chose to get married because his girlfriend pregnant. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow for EXO, who were at the peak of their careers at that time. The other members were also forced to bear the stigma. A large number of fan accounts chose to be deactivated, and many fans also went to protest downstairs of the agency. That’s why Winter and Jung-Kook’s new remained at the top of the entertainment news in several countries and the silence of the agency, along with the evasive responses from the two individuals, has disappointed a large number of fans.
Idols can not have a romantic relationship because idols and celebrities are different. Singers sell their songs, actors sell their roles, and idols sell themselves. Almost everything about the idols is given by their fans. This is a job that must provide emotional value to the fans. If the idols want to have a relationship like ordinary people, their lives should return to being ordinary, rather than having a lot of money. Just like the dolls in an amusement park, they cannot take off their costumes in front of the guests. At the moment of their debut, they have already turned the right to love into a commodity and exchanged it for fame and fortune. If they want to have a relationship after gaining fame and fortune, it is equivalent to going against their original intention and betraying the fans. The value that idols can provide is very limited. If they cannot even do the most fundamental thing, there is no point for the fans to follow them. Like the member of the group SEVENTEEN called Hoshi said that, “If I can do whatever I want, then why should I be a idol?”
SEVETEEN member HOSHI.
Guan QiuYu 
Tan Kane 
SHI LIQI