TVXQ's Changmin dating non-celebrity

TVXQ's Changmin confirmed he has been in love with a non-celebrity. Korea Times file

By Dong Sun-hwa

Changmin of K-pop boy duo TVXQ, also known as Max Changmin, confirmed Monday that he is dating a woman who is not working in the entertainment industry and is younger than himself.

His agency SM Entertainment confirmed the relationship following a report earlier Monday. The report said the singer met his girlfriend through a mutual friend and that his close acquaintances already knew about the romance.

Changmin began his singing career as the youngest member of TVXQ, which debuted in 2003 as a quintet ― Yunho, Changmin, Junsu, Yuchun and Jaejoong. The group jumped to stardom with hit songs including “Rising Sun” (2005) and “MIROTIC” (2008). But in 2010, Junsu, Yuchun and Jaejoong departed following a legal dispute with SM.

Changmin has also been forging an acting career, starring in the KBS drama “Paradise Farm” (2011). He recently made headlines for donating 50 million won ($43,000) to single-parent families with low incomes.