On March 17, Actor Ryu Jun-yeol returned to Korea alone at Incheon International Airport, following his overseas schedule.
Ryu was seen wearing a cap, horn-rimmed glasses, and a mask, with his hoodie pulled up. He kept his head down and walked quickly through the arrivals hall, seemingly aware of the recent controversy surrounding his relationship with actress Han So-hee.
The dating rumors between Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee began on March 15, when a Japanese netizen posted a photo of the two actors sitting together at a luxury hotel pool in Hawaii. Both actors’ agencies initially responded with vague statements, citing “private life,” which further fueled speculation.
The situation escalated when Ryu’s ex-girlfriend, actress Hyeri, posted the cryptic message “This is interesting” on social media, followed by unfollowing Ryu on her account. Hyeri and Ryu had publicly dated from 2017 until their breakup in November 2023.
Some netizens accused Ryu of “overlapping” his relationships with Han So-hee and Hyeri, pointing out that Han So-hee had visited Ryu’s solo exhibition around the time of his public breakup with Hyeri.
In response, Han So-hee took to social media to post a meme of a dog holding a knife, along with the caption “I don’t pursue people who are already in relationships. I wouldn’t be interested in forming a fake friendship with them, nor would I want to interfere in their existing romance. While I find dating shows entertaining, they’re not currently a factor in my own love life.” She also addressed Hyeri’s post, writing “I find it interesting too.“
On March 16, Han So-hee admitted to dating Ryu through a blog post. She clarified that they had started dating after Ryu’s breakup with Hyeri and apologized for her earlier posts, which she said were made out of anger and frustration.
Ryu’s agency, C-JeS Entertainment, also released a statement confirming the relationship and denying the “overlap” rumors. The agency added that it will take strong legal action against malicious comments and defamation targeting the actors.
Rumors of a love triangle between Han So-hee, Ryu Jun-yeol, and Lee Hye-ri have been a hot topic online. Han So-hee’s official statement clarified the situation, but the public reaction remains divided.