After Six Months, Kim Soo-hyun Finally Breaks Silence on Dating Rumors with Kim Ji-won

Actor Kim Soo-hyun has put an end to rumors of a romantic relationship with actress Kim Ji-won.

On January 24, a message exchange between Kim Soo-hyun and fans on the fan communication platform Bubble was shared on an online community. One fan wrote, “Hurry up and marry Ji-won and post more couple moments! Please go public with your relationship and show it off more properly.”

In response, Kim Soo-hyun replied, “I hope people see dramas as just dramas.”

The rumors first sparked in July last year when the two were seen posting selfies in similar outfits and poses. Neither party addressed the speculation at the time.

Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won played a married couple in the tvN drama The Queen of Tears, which aired its final episode in April last year. The drama followed the story of Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji-won), a chaebol heiress of the Queens Group, and Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo-hyun), the son of a rural village chief, as they faced a marital crisis three years into their marriage and rediscovered their love.

The Queen of Tears captivated viewers with its dazzling visuals and witty dialogue, and Kim Soo-hyun’s portrayal of Baek Hyun-woo, a man struggling with the pressures of being a chaebol’s son-in-law while yearning for divorce, was praised for its emotional depth.

Kim Ji-won, already known for her roles in hit dramas like The Heirs, Descendants of the Sun, Fight for My Way, and My Liberation Notes, reached new heights of fame with The Queen of Tears, drawing global attention.

The drama consistently broke its own viewership records during its run, with the 12th episode, aired on April 14, 2024, achieving a nationwide rating of 20.7%, according to Nielsen Korea. It also ranked first and second on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English Series chart, solidifying its popularity both domestically and internationally.

Written by Park Ji-eun, the screenwriter behind hits like My Love from the Star and Crash Landing on You, The Queen of Tears marked her reunion with Kim Soo-hyun, earning critical acclaim as one of his standout performances.

Meanwhile, Kim Soo-hyun is set to make his return in Disney+’s upcoming original series Knockoff. The series tells the story of a man whose life is upended by the IMF crisis, transforming him from an ordinary office worker to the king of the global counterfeit market.