Actors Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee, once the protagonists of a romance that stirred fans at home and abroad, were revived in Cannes, France. Now they remain as 'ex-boyfriend' and 'ex-girlfriend' they can speak of with a smile, but rather than dredging up a two-year-old private matter, it's time to see them again with attention on their upcoming works.
On the 13th, Ryu Jun-yeol was spotted in Cannes, France. On the 12th (local time), the 79th Cannes Film Festival opened in Cannes, France. As a result, Ryu Jun-yeol, who visited the site, was seen by global fans.
A representative of a Japanese film distribution company who met Ryu Jun-yeol supported this by posting a photo taken with Ryu Jun-yeol on personal social media. In the photo, Ryu Jun-yeol showed a relaxed atmosphere enjoying the Cannes Film Festival with a faint smile. In fact, he visited this Cannes Film Festival not as an actor first but as a buyer of films.
The eyewitness account was also pleasant. Koga and Natsumi said, "We met Ryu Jun-yeol at the Cannes Film Festival. He said he came as a buyer. I told him I had distributed a Korean film before, and he asked, 'What film is it?'" They added, "I thought it might be a little awkward to say it was a film starring Han So-hee, because there had been reports that (Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee) dated in the past. In the end, I cautiously said 'heavy snow.'" They revealed that Ryu Jun-yeol laughed and said, "Of course I know. It's really funny."
To the extent that a Japanese film official mentioned it cautiously, Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee's romance struck Korea briefly but powerfully in 2024. At the time, rumors of their relationship flared after news spread of the two traveling together in Hawaii. Both sides kept silent and declined to give an official statement, calling it "private life." However, singer and actor Hyeri, who had publicly dated Ryu Jun-yeol earlier, drew attention by posting "funny" on her personal social media. This sparked suspicions that Ryu Jun-yeol had 'transferred' from Hyeri to Han So-hee.
Amid heated exchanges among internet users between Hyeri's and Han So-hee's social media accounts, Ryu Jun-yeol eventually acknowledged that he had dated Han So-hee, and the situation was temporarily settled. Han So-hee and Hyeri also sent apologies to each other via social media, putting an end to the emotional war of words. However, the social media disputes that were loudly exhibited and the excessive attention became a burden. Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee announced their breakup just 14 days later, and they have since gone their separate ways.
Afterward, mentions of Ryu Jun-yeol, Han So-hee and Hyeri were taboo at official events for a while. In his first public appearance after the controversy, Ryu Jun-yeol carefully remained silent, saying he had "no intention of speaking" when asked related questions in an interview. Hyeri and Han So-hee also faced questions about their private lives at their respective production press conferences, dubbed the 'funny incident,' but they apologized to the cast and crew who appeared with them for having their work's attention overshadowed by personal issues.
Now, two years later, Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee have been mentioned together again in Cannes unexpectedly. The tone seems pleasant, but whether it reads as pleasant for the actors is questionable. From whether Ryu Jun-yeol's laugh and "Of course I know" referred to Han So-hee or merely to the work itself cannot be determined from a single online eyewitness account. Also, for Ryu Jun-yeol, it would have been awkward to dodge a question about a private matter when speaking with an overseas film official who is interested enough in Korean films to handle distribution.
In fact, the past private controversy surrounding Ryu Jun-yeol, Han So-hee and Hyeri has naturally become a thing of the past in Korea. Earlier this year, a group MT commemorating the 10th anniversary of the tvN drama Reply 1988, in which Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri developed into lovers, was even revealed. At the time, Ryu Jun-yeol, who had difficulty attending due to personal schedules, made time to visit the site, and the indirect reunion with Hyeri, now an 'ex-ex-girlfriend,' attracted attention. But it quickly wound down into the significance of Reply 1988's 10th anniversary. Hyeri was also in a newly public relationship with dancer Woo Tae, so memories of the work itself were strongly mentioned.
Moreover, their ability to now talk about it with a smile was even reimported to Korea through the eyewitness account of a global film official. It's welcome that even the tense atmosphere lingering over the past, mentioned by the parties themselves, is being lifted. At the same time, Ryu Jun-yeol, Han So-hee and Hyeri remain active and are stars who can play central roles in Korea's content industry. Ryu Jun-yeol is about to release the Netflix original drama "Field Mouse" and also appears in another Netflix new work "Outback." Han So-hee is also set to release the film "Intern" and is filming the "Solo Leveling" series, which is garnering expectations as another Netflix blockbuster. Hyeri is about to release the ENA new drama "Dream for You" and will also serve as MC of the Disney+ variety show "Style Wars." Isn't it time to talk about their new paths rather than the private controversy from two years ago.<
[Photo] SNS source, OSEN DB.
[OSEN]