On July 1, the Korean outlet Dispatch published an exclusive story which claimed that "Pinocchio" stars Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk were dating. S.A.L.T Entertainment, the agency which represents Park immediately denied the claims. Their statement was followed by one issued on behalf of Lee Jong Suk, who also denied the dating rumors.
A representative from Wellmade Yedang provided a statement to Newsen which refuted the claims. "Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye are not dating," said the spokesman. "They are just friends."
Dating rumors surrounding the couple escalated after they were spotted together, along with other top Korean stars, at a May 2015 resort wear party hosted by Chanel.
While their agencies denied that they were dating, outlets including the Korea Times posted photos from the Chanel resort event and social media to bolster the rumors.
News of Park Shin Hye and Lee Jong Suk was less startling to audiences who fell in love with their on-screen image during "Pinocchio."
The biggest challenge for actors and K-Variety stars is to convince audiences that an on-screen relationship could develop in the real world.
Here are five K-Drama and K-Variety couples that touched our hearts during the first half of 2015.
1. Lee Jong Suk and Park Shin Hye
Most fans were not shocked by news that Lee Jong Suk would actually date Park Shin Hye. Their on-screen chemistry in "Pinocchio" provided some of the sweetest K-Drama moments of early 2015. From their toast kiss to their shaving scene, the pair managed to captivate viewers.
2. Song Jae Rim and Kim So Eun
The LTE Couple is one of the most beloved pairs to appear on "We Got Married," in quite some time. Viewers continue to mourn their departure from the variety show while harboring hopes that they will continue their romance off-screen.
3. Gary and Song Ji Hyo
The playful banter between Gary and Song Ji Hyo are one of the primary reasons to watch "Running Man." The Monday Couple continues to attract attention, years after they were made an on-screen pair.
4. Park Min Young and Ji Chang Wook
Ji Chang Wook and Park Min Young shared so many adorable moments in "Healer." Their charismatic interactions transformed the action series into a timeless K-Drama hit.
5. Lee Jong Hyun and Gong Seungyeon
CNBLUE's Lee Jong Hyun and actress Gong Seungyeon have helped to draw interest back to "We Got Married." Whether they are learning Kendo or visiting their family members, they approach one another with lighthearted joy.
About the writer: Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor for KDramastars. She is also a contributing writer for Kpopstarz, MTV Iggy and CJ Entertainment's KCON blog. Her passions include a love of K-pop and Asian drama. When she is not writing, she is hanging out on Twitter (@retrogirladdy).
