Big age no barrier to stars' romances
Kim Go-eun
Don Lee
Lee Yoo-young
By Ko Dong-hwan
In a culture where people treat others based on age and address them casually or with honorifics accordingly, the age gap for couples can also be a concern ― especially when they are celebrities.
Three star pairs who became couples within the past five months surprised fans not just because the women were younger than the men by two-digit figures but because the big gaps were all coincidently 17 years.
The magic number was first mentioned last August when actor Shin Ha-kyun, 42, was reported to be dating actress Kim Go-eun, 25.
The news caught many by surprise because the two had hardly been considered as a romantic pair because of the age gap.
The general belief was that a woman and a man 17 years older would have little in common and might even be the butt of jokes.
Then, three months later, actor Don Lee, 45, and fitness trainer Ye Jung-hwa, 28, announced their romance.
Both have fitness training in common ― one from many Korean TV and theater hits like “Train to Busan” and “Tax Team 38” and the other being a glamorous health figure.
And finally (so far) earlier this month actor Kim Joo-hyuck, 44, and Lee Yoo-young, 27, announced they were an item.
It was a match between a seasoned actor and a rising silver screen actress who will debut on the small screen for OCN in March.