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South Korean celebrities
LifestyleEntertainment

How marriage can make or break a K-pop star’s career, and why some hide their wedded status and parenthood

  • After Exo’s Chen recently announced his upcoming marriage, a number of K-pop stars have come forward to admit they had tied the knot
  • It’s a risky proposition; K-pop fans obsessive love can turn to hatred if they feel abandoned

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Chen from Exo caused an uproar when he recently announced his upcoming marriage.
The Korea Times

By Lee Jae-hoon

K-pop star Chen of boy band Exo took devoted fans by surprise last month when he announced his upcoming marriage to his pregnant girlfriend.

While many of the fans supported Chen’s straightforward approach and defended celebrities’ right to privacy, many others were annoyed by the announcement. Some angry fans even took to the streets to demand Chen’s withdrawal from Exo.

The drama was a reminder of how difficult yet important it is for well-loved stars to be open about their private lives – and particularly about their relationships. In the weeks after Chen made the surprise announcement, several other stars came forward to reveal their marital status.

Chen from Exo announced his wedding plans last month.
Chen from Exo announced his wedding plans last month.

Last week, Lee Jae-hoon, the lead singer of Cool, a K-pop trio who ruled the music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s, confessed that he had been married for more than 10 years and is the father of two children. The 46-year-old old-school K-pop heart throb broke the news in an article posted in an online fan community, saying: “I am here to confess a truth that I have hidden so far.”

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