The first week of 2014 has already seen dating confirmations by two sets of k-drama actors: Girls Generation's Yoona and actor Lee Seung Gi, and Girls Generation's Sooyoung and Jung Kyung Ho.
In both cases, the actors tried to keep the relationship a secret for as long as they possibly could.
Last year also saw a few relationship confessions. Jo in Sung confessed to dating actress Kim Min Hee. Shortly after his hit drama "That Winter The Wind Blows." Won Bin owned up to dating Lee Na Young after photographers snapped him outside her home. In September, Kim Woo Bin confessed he had been seeing model Yoo Ji Ahn for two years. He did so because they were photographed together and not as models.
Celebrities often try to date in secret for as long as possible. Moon Geun Young and Kim Bum proved the exception when they announced they were dating shortly after the completion of their drama "Goddess of Fire: Jeonji." Then they went on a month-long trip to Europe together. The reaction was generally positive and for the most part fans left them alone.
It was not so positive for Infinite's L, who played the young So Ji Sub in "The Master's Sun," and his girlfriend Kim Do Yeon. When at his agency's request she denied that she was dating him saesang fans threw rocks and trash at her.
It's easy to see why a celebrity might want to keep a relationship a secret. First, some celebrities are not allowed to date. That's certainly true for the members of some girl groups, although Girls Generation's Yoona and Sooyoyung do have permission. A girl group's management may want to protect the girls' image. So, if these entertainers spend time with friends of the opposite sex, they have to say they are not in a romantic relationship and are really more like siblings.
And maybe they are more like siblings or friends when the relationship starts. It can take time to get to know someone and that's harder when the whole world is watching. What if after you go on a few dates you decide that your k-drama actor boyfriend is not Mr. Perfect? If everyone knows you are dating and you break up, will that be held against you?
Some celebrities have managed to keep their entire relationship a secret until they either decided to marry or broke up. Chi Ji Woo, star of "The Suspicious Housekeeper" dated Lee Jin Wook, star of "Nine" for two years and only went public before they broke up.
Being in the same business can make dating hard enough. An actor's time is not his own and when he does get a chance to date, he may not be eager to share every detail with the public.
There are those that think entertainers should not have private lives. What do you think? Should k-drama celebrities have to be honest about dating?
