From marriage to death hoaxes: Korean actresses battle damaging rumors

From left, Go Hyun-jung, Suzy, and Seo Hyo-rim / Xportsnews

From marriage reports to death hoaxes, several popular Korean actresses have recently been embroiled in groundless rumors circulating online, causing confusion and distress among fans.

On Thursday, a post on an online community claimed that actress and singer Suzy was set to marry the CEO of a company, saying an official announcement was imminent. The rumor quickly spread across social media but was later confirmed to be false. Kim Jang-kyun, CEO of Suzy’s agency Management SOOP, responded via his personal social media, saying, “If you get caught spreading fake news, you’ll be in trouble,” signaling the agency’s intention to take strong action.

Actress Go Hyun-jung faced an even more serious situation after revealing in May that she had undergone major surgery due to health issues. A YouTube channel soon spread unfounded claims of her death, forcing Go to directly address the rumor. “I’m not dead,” she said. “I’m recovering well and there’s nothing to worry about."

Seo Hyo-rim was recently caught up in shocking allegations involving an alleged affair. A post titled “Kim Sang-hyuk Seo Hyo-rim scandal (2018)” began circulating online, prompting the actress to publicly respond. “Did something like this happen without me knowing? Is this about someone with the same name?” she wrote.

Choi Yeo-jin, who announced her marriage in June to sports entrepreneur Kim Jae-wook, also faced a barrage of rumors concerning her husband’s past. She personally clarified allegations of an affair by holding a video call with Kim’s ex-wife and firmly denied claims suggesting her husband was linked to a “cult leader,” saying, “That has nothing to do with us.”

Choi Yeo-jin / Captured from Choi's YouTube channel

The rapid spread of unverified rumors has put many actresses in difficult situations, while fans have also urged caution. “People should refrain from posting unconfirmed claims,” one commenter said, adding that such rumors “can cause deep emotional harm to those involved.”

This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.