Han So Hee and Ryu Jun Yeol’s Hawaii photos surface with dating timeline

Han So Hee and Ryu Jun Yeol are the newest K-town couple who were met with side-eyes from fans all around. This intense scrutiny comes just days after aespa’s Karina issued an apology for dating actor Lee Jae Wook, sparking international discussion and BBC coverage on the strict dating restrictions Korean idols often face. Now, adding fuel to the fire, South Korean news outlet Dispatch has revealed that Han So Hee and Ryu Jun Yeol were indeed together during their recent trip to Hawaii. Although the pictures are aimed towards clearing their name from the controversy but internet is divided and here is why.
Also read: Han So Hee confirms dating Ryu Jun Yeol, apologises to Hyeri with personal note
The news first came to light after a fan posted a picture of the actors, tagging their dramas Nevertheless and Reply 1988, claiming they appeared affectionate in a Hawaiian swimming pool. The agencies initially denied the dating rumors, but an online feud soon erupted between former Girls’ Day member Hyeri who dated Ryu Jun Yeol for seven long years, and Han So Hee. This prompted the agencies to confirm the relationship, swiftly followed by Han So Hee penning a lengthy blog post confirming it as well.
In their latest issue, Dispatch released the photos and said that the couple were actually together at the time the photos surfaced on the Korean website. They said they flew to Hawaii as soon as the news broke. “But what they saw wasn’t what they were expecting.” The shared pictures spotlight the couple, but not in a ‘lovey-dovey’ way. Many netizens felt tension in the moment, while others argued about why they chose to lie about their relationship in the first place when they were not at fault.

Also read: Han So Hee replies to all malicious comments claiming her ‘image sunk to bottom’ amid dating Ryu Jun Yeol
Earlier, Han So Hee went private on Instagram after receiving criticism from fans. Many argued that her relationship with Ryu Jun Yeol overlapped with Hyeri and Jun Yeol’s ‘trouble in paradise’ phase. Meanwhile, Dispatch confirmed that the former couple had grown distant around June 2023, with Ryu Jun Yeol notably absent from Hyeri’s birthday celebration that same month.
Citing an insider, they wrote, “Normally the two don’t share stories about their love life. But even if they don’t say anything, I can feel it. I’ve been in touch with them often… the time they spent looking at their phones has gradually decreased. But Ryu Jun Yeol didn’t go to Hyeri’s birthday party. Everyone felt something was off.”
The report suggests, that the Reply 1988 lovers’ relationship began to deteriorate in June and gradually dwindled to the point where they stopped communicating altogether. It wasn’t until the beginning of November that they officially split up. On November 15, Han So Hee and Ryu Jun Yeol met at a photo exhibition for the first time. Going on the explain that it was not ‘love at first sight’ and they slowly started falling for each other