Lee Min-ho and Bae Suzy, Yoona and Lee Seung-gi – the Korean celebrity couples forced to keep their romances a secret – or face backlash from media, fans, and their agencies – video

Being a K-pop star isn’t all roses.

Those in the public eye often go to extreme lengths to hide their love lives, but the notoriously intense Korean entertainment industry takes things a step further. The commitments tied to being a K-pop idol often mean signing a contract that strictly bans dating at all costs. And when stars opt to hide a romance, they can find themselves in hot water once their devoted fans or the media discover their secret.

Bae Suzy and Lee Min-ho were once caught disguised from head to toe in shades and scarves, while Lee Seung-gi and Yoona have been known to sneak in and out of car parks from dates. K-pop and K-drama stars have done it all in desperate attempts to keep their relationships under the radar.

Whether it’s Blackpink’s Jennie or Super Junior’s Heechul, a dating controversy never fails to turn heads and send the entertainment industry wild. More often than not, once a relationship is exposed, stars are hit with severe backlash that forces their agencies to confirm or deny the relationship. It’s no wonder that some K-pop and K-drama stars have resorted to keeping their romances as far away from the media as possible.

The immense pressures of maintaining a love life as well as a celebrity reputation often results in sad endings – just like the famous “Song-Song” couple, Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, that shocked fans when they announced their divorce after less than two years of marriage.