Actor Lee Dong-gun continues to work diligently amidst rumors of a romantic relationship with Kang Hae-rim.
On the 31st of last month, a photo was uploaded on Lee Dong-gun's account without any special comments. The photo shows Lee Dong-gun arriving at a café in Jeju.
Lee Dong-gun opened a café in Aewol-eup, Jeju, in April. At that time, he stated that it was his dream to run a café in Jeju, mentioning that he took out a loan of 200 million won to start the café business.
Lee Dong-gun's café became an instant 'hot place' after opening, drawing long lines, and he faced criticism from some local business owners, leading to controversy over territorial disputes. Nevertheless, Lee Dong-gun appeared at the café without responding to the criticism, personally serving brewed coffee to customers, demonstrating his dedication to running the café. His journey in self-employment is being shared on 'My Little Old Boy' and receiving encouragement from many.
Amidst this, rumors of Lee Dong-gun's romantic relationship surfaced on the 28th of last month. Lee Dong-gun married actress Jo Yoon-hee in 2017 and they have a daughter, but they divorced by mutual agreement in May 2020, about three years later. The daughter is being raised by Jo Yoon-hee, and it is known that Lee Dong-gun regularly meets her and is fulfilling his responsibilities as a father. Particularly, on 'My Little Old Boy' aired in July of last year, he revealed, "It has been a long time since I thought about dating," and "Considering the child, dating is something that should not happen yet."
It is noteworthy that after five years of his divorce, he has been spotted on dates with an attractive woman and rumors of a romantic relationship have arisen. However, his agency, W Plus, remarked, "It's a personal matter, so it's difficult to confirm with him." The production team of 'My Little Old Boy' also stated, "It is entirely unrelated to the broadcast and is a personal matter," distinguishing it from any content that would be revealed on air.
Subsequently, reports emerged stating that Lee Dong-gun's romantic partner is actress Kang Hae-rim, who is 16 years younger. In response, Kang Hae-rim's agency, AndMark, also stated to OSEN, "We cannot confirm as it is the actor's private matter," and Lee Dong-gun commented to a media outlet, "This is not something I should directly discuss." Some reactions suggested it was an 'effective acknowledgment' of the rumors. According to reports from Sporty News on the 1st, following the dating rumors, Lee Dong-gun was reported to have expressed to those around him, "Thank you for your congratulations" and "I am happy," indicating his emotions.
Despite the dating rumors, Lee Dong-gun has maintained a 'silence' officially, and his recent activities were captured at the café he operates. On the 30th, after the dating rumors surfaced, Lee Dong-gun personally arrived at the café to conduct a scheduled docent event. It was his first appearance at the café in about a month. During the day, he was seen wearing a microphone for filming and focusing on his work, or welcoming fans who attended the event with a bright smile.
On the same day, a fan posted a photo taken with Lee Dong-gun on their account, stating, "It was an honor. I will remember the delicious brewed coffee you personally served for a long time. Thank you for your kind and warm gaze and heart," and Lee Dong-gun shared fans' posts on his account while promoting a popup event to be held on the 5th, continuing his activities without regard to the dating rumors.
[Photo] Lee Dong-gun's social media
[OSEN]