From left, late Barbie Hsu and DJ Koo’s social media, Hong Sang-soo and Kim Min-hee, Lee Si-young / Xportsnews file
This year turned the Korean entertainment world into a mirror of human emotion — from high-profile weddings and new births to shocking divorces, controversy-filled pregnancies and tragic farewells. What began as a year of celebration soon unfolded into one marked by irony, debate and loss, drawing intense public reactions both online and off.
Korean entertainment has always been fast-moving, but this year felt particularly turbulent. Across social media and pop-culture forums, audiences watched as celebrities experienced dramatic turning points in their personal lives that blended joy, grief, controversy and nostalgia.
Weddings that surprised the industry — from remarriages to long-time bachelors
One of the biggest storylines of 2025 was a wave of celebrity weddings, particularly among stars remarrying after divorces and long-time bachelors finally tying the knot. TV personality Lee Sang-min revealed in April that he had registered his remarriage, while comedian Kim Jun-ho married fellow entertainer Kim Ji-min on July 13. Veteran entertainer Kim Byung-man wed his long-term partner on Sept. 20, with fans learning that the couple already shared two children.
Former Sechs Kies member Eun Ji-won also announced his remarriage in October, marrying again after 13 years.
From left, Lee Sang-min, Kim Jong-kook, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Woo-bin and Shin Min-a / Xportsnews, Courtesy of AM Entertainment
Several stars known for remaining single also walked down the aisle. Kim Jong-min married on April 20, and singer Kim Jong-kook surprised the industry with a marriage announcement on Sept. 5. Broadcaster Yoon Jung-soo wed former reporter Won Jin-seo on Nov. 30. Actor Jung Woo-sung, who faced controversy last year over reports of an out-of-wedlock child, married his partner on Aug. 5, reigniting online buzz.
Long-term couples also took their relationships to the altar. Actor Lee Jang-woo and Cho Hye-won married on Nov. 23 after eight years of dating, while actors On Joo-wan and Bang Min-ah held a private wedding in Bali on Nov. 29. One of the most widely celebrated events came on Dec. 20, when top-star couple Shin Min-a and Kim Woo-bin married after a decade-long romance.
From left, Lee Soo and Lyn, Hong Jin-kyung, Clara and Jung Sung-il / Xportsnews file
Divorce headlines remind fans that not every love story lasts
While some celebrated new beginnings, others announced separations. actor Lee Si-young revealed in March that she divorced her husband after eight years of marriage. Singers Lyn and Lee Soo ended their marriage of eleven years in August, and comedian Hong Jin-kyung concluded a 22-year union, surprising many.
More divorce news followed in the fall. Actors Clara and Jung Sung-il ended marriages of six and nine years, respectively. In November, actor Go Won-hee was revealed to have separated after three years, despite never officially registering the marriage.
From left, Eric, Lee Ha-nee, Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo and Lee Si-young / Xportsnews
Births that brought joy — and controversy
Several celebrity couples welcomed children this year, marking hopeful new chapters. Singer Eric and actor Na Hye-mi welcomed their second son on March 19, while singer Son Dam-bi and former Olympic speed skater Lee Kyu-hyuk became parents to a daughter on April 11. Actor Lee Ha-nee welcomed her second daughter on Aug. 24.
But not every birth announcement was celebrated. Film director Hong Sang-soo and actor Kim Min-hee, whose relationship began through an extramarital affair, reportedly welcomed a son in March, drawing polarized reactions. Actor Lee Si-young, following her divorce, became pregnant through IVF without her ex-husband’s consent and gave birth to a second daughter in November, sparking ethical and legal debate. In December, “Heart Signal 3” participant Seo Min-jae gave birth after controversy surrounding the child’s paternity.
These stories fueled intense discussion across Korean social media communities, reflecting shifting attitudes toward family, relationships, and morality among younger “MZ” generation audiences of people in their 20s and 30s.
From left, Barbie Hsu and DJ Koo, Wheesung, Jeon Yu-seong and Lee Soon-jae / Xportsnews
A year of loss — farewells that left the nation grieving
The year also brought a series of heartbreaking deaths that left fans mourning cultural icons across generations.
DJ Koo, a member of the legendary dance duo Clon, lost his wife Barbie Hsu — a Taiwanese actor he reunited with after twenty years — on Feb. 2, following complications from pneumonia during a family trip to Japan. She was 48. Koo’s later appearance at her gravesite, visibly thinner and grieving, drew widespread sympathy.
Younger stars also passed unexpectedly. Actor Kim Sae-ron died on Feb. 6 at age 25, followed by her family raising allegations about actor Kim Soo-hyun. Singer Wheesung passed away at home on March 10, and popular YouTuber Daedoseogwan (Na Dong-hyun) was found dead on Sept. 6, shocking fans.
The nation also said goodbye to towering figures of Korean pop culture. Veteran trot singer Song Dae-kwan died of a heart attack on Feb. 7 at age 78. Beloved TV host Lee Sang-yong, known as “Popeye,” died at 81. Comedian Jeon Yu-seong, a pioneer of experimental Korean comedy, died on Sept. 25 at age 76. On Nov. 25, the industry mourned legendary actor Lee Soon-jae, a defining figure in Korean theater, television, and film who passed away at 91.
Their deaths marked the symbolic end of eras that shaped Korean entertainment history.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.koreatimes.co.kr ’
