Wedding bells ring for second-generation K-pop girl group idols
Yoon Bomi from Apink, left, and Tiffany from Girls' Generation / Xportsnews
Two of K-pop’s most enduring second-generation girl groups are on the brink of a milestone many fans once thought distant: the arrival of their first married members.
Apink’s Yoon Bomi and singer-producer Rado are set to marry in May next year, making Yoon the first married member of her girl group. The announcement, made directly to fans, was quickly amplified as similar news surfaced involving Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany.
On Dec. 18, Bomi shared the wedding news through a handwritten letter posted on Apink’s official fan cafe. In the letter, she reflected on her life journey and her decision to marry.
“After my teens and twenties, I’ve now become 33-year-old Yoon Bomi, and I decided to spend my future with someone who has shared everyday life with me for a long time, through joyful moments and moments of uncertainty,” she said. “Just as I always have, I will continue to live responsibly and become even stronger.”
Apink's Yoon Bomi, left, and singer-producer Rado / Xportsnews
Both Bomi and Rado’s agencies released a joint statement the same day, asking fans for warm support and saying the couple would remain active in their respective careers after marriage.
Bomi and Rado have been dating since April 2017, and their upcoming wedding marks the culmination of a nine-year relationship. The timing is especially meaningful for Yoon, as Apink is preparing to celebrate its 15th debut anniversary. The group will release its 11th mini album, “RE : LOVE,” on Jan. 5, combining a major comeback with a personal milestone for one of its members.
Just days earlier, another second-generation icon drew attention for similar reasons. On Dec. 13, reports said Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany and actor Byun Yo-han are in a serious relationship with marriage in mind, with plans for a fall wedding next year.
Girls' Generation's Tiffany, left, and actor Byun Yo-han / Xportsnews
Tiffany addressed fans directly through a handwritten letter on her personal social media account. “I am currently in a serious relationship with someone, with marriage in mind,” she said. “He is someone who helps me see the world with positivity and hope, and gives me a sense of stability.” She added that while no specific date has been set, she would inform fans personally when major decisions are made.
Byun echoed her sentiments in a letter to fans, saying Tiffany is “someone who makes me want to become a better person” and whose smile “warms my heart even when I am exhausted.”
The couple previously worked together as on-screen lovers in the Disney+ original series “Uncle Samsik,” released in May last year, fueling online buzz.
With Bomi and Tiffany both confirming marriage plans, Apink and Girls’ Generation are simultaneously approaching the moment of welcoming their first married members. Given that both groups remain active well over a decade after their debut, fans and online communities have responded with a mix of nostalgia, celebration and curiosity about how these personal milestones will shape the next chapter of second-generation K-pop idols.
Tiffany, in particular, has drawn attention as the potential first married member of Girls’ Generation, even as fellow member Sooyoung has been publicly dating actor Jung Kyung-ho for 14 years. The unexpected development has only added to the sense that an era is quietly, but meaningfully, changing.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.