It was only five days ago that the agency that represents actress Kim Sa Rang had to issue a statement denying the rumors that she and soccer player Park Si Jung were getting married. With so many celebrity weddings making the news, rumors had started that the two would wed in September.
"There is no truth to that absurd story," said her agency.
Kim Sa Rang and Park Si Jung are not even dating. Because he is considered to be one of Korea's most eligible bachelors, rumors keep linking him up with female celebrities. Besides former Miss Korea Kim Sa Rang, he was said to be dating actresses Lee Bo Young, Bae Doo Na, and singer Solbi.
At a press conference today he put the latest round of rumors to rest by going public with his current relationship. Park, 32, confessed that he has been dating Kim Min Ji, a 27-year-old sports newscaster, for a few months. She hosts a weekly program on soccer highlights.
Park decided to go public about the relationship after a newspaper published pictures of the couple near the Han River in Seoul. The newspaper reported that he picked her up from work with a bucket of takeout chicken and the two watched the Korea-Iran football match on a smartphone. They held hands on a bench in the rain before going to a café in Cheomdamdong.
Park originally planned to have a press conference on his career plans but decided that it would be a good time to go public with his relationship and put any unfounded marriage rumors to rest.
"I planned to make a surprise announcement that I am passionately in love with her and devoted to her, but now I guess I only need to confirm last night's report," said Park with a smile.
The couple only recently began dating but they have already met each other's parents. In the past, Park's father has said that he would not approve of his son marrying a celebrity, but apparently he does not consider Kim Min Ji a celebrity. He even had something to do with setting them up.
"In 2011, announcer Bae Sung Jae told my father that he knew a good girl for me, so due to my father's insistence I met with Kim Min Ji for the first time," said Park. "Back then we were just friends. It was only recently that we officially started dating."
Park owes his Korean superstar status to his role in taking South Korea to the 2002 World Cup semifinals. He retired from international football in 2011 and joined the Queens Park Rangers before the 2012-2013 season.
