Rumour has it that Jun Ji Hyun (전지현) and her non-celebrity husband are headed for splitsville.
The Garo Sero Institute YouTube channel – which is one of the most influential right-wing political and entertainment outlets in Korea – revealed that the 39-year-old actress and Choi Joon Hyuk haven’t been together since December 2020.
Although their relationship had fizzled out, Jun Ji Hyun apparently isn’t willing to ink the official divorce papers. One of the reasons is probably due to the fact that the couple have 2 young children, aged 3 and 5. As a woman in the entertainment industry, this could also seriously damage her advertisement campaigns and commercial deals.
It’s common knowledge in Korean showbiz that the celebrity might incur a hefty fine for causing bad press to a brand. This is something Jun Ji Hyun hopes to avoid at all cost, especially since she has 2 shows out this year – Netflix’s “Kingdom: Ashin of the North” and “Jirisan”.
Garo Sero Institute claims that Choi Joon Hyuk’s infidelity was the main reason for the break up. They went on to suggest that the actress is even considering emigrating to another country. At the time of writing, Jun Ji Hyun’s agency Culture Depot hasn’t released any statement yet.
Choi Joon Hyuk is the grandson of famed hanbok designer Lee Young Hee and the son of fashion designer Lee Jung Woo. The wealthy businessman and Jun Ji Hyun walked down the aisle in April 2012 at The Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, South Korea.
Update (4th June):
Both Choi Joon Hyuk and Culture Depot have come forth to address the rumours here.
