I still remember New Year’s Day of 2013 which started off with a bomb blast of news in the Korean entertainment industry with the jawdropping and out-of-left-field coupling of A-list beauty and middling actress Kim Tae Hee with Hallyu superstar Rain. That led to a year’s worth of dating news and with the year about to wrap up in a week it’s only fitting that another big bombshell hits to end the dating tsunami on a big note. So Ji Sub is reportedly dating girl idol group After School‘s Lee Joo Yeon (referred to as just Jooyeon in the K-pop world). She’s better known for her K-pop activities and is not as established an actress as her fellow After School group mate UEE, but I’ve seen Jooyeon before playing a cameo role as actress Ari in the Mnet cable drama Monstar. She also made a small appearance in Answer Me 1997 as the doctor who ends up with Song Jong Ho’s hyung character. Apparently she was in Jeon Woo Chi but I doubt anyone watched that drama. Ladies magazine Women’s Sense broke the news that So Ji Sub and Jooyeon have been dating for about a year and four months and met after being set up by mutual friend MBLAQ‘s G.O.
The age difference in 10 years with So Ji Sub being 37 and Jooyeon is 27, so its not like he’s robbing the cradle or anything. The magazine goes into detail saying that they mostly date around So Ji Sub’s home and he’s even dropped her off at the salon for her activities. They have reportedly even traveled abroad on vacation together with some friends to the US. The relationship is purportedly not a secret and Jooyeon openly refers to So Ji Sub as “my boyfriend” to her friends and family. When both of their agencies was approached to confirm this news, both immediately issued denials. So Ji Sub’s agency admits that he’s good friends with Jooyeon but claims they are not dating. You can choose to believe their denials but I can say that So Ji Sub has said in multiple interviews that if he’s dating someone he will never come clean to protect their privacy. Hope this doesn’t shatter any shipper hearts over him and Gong Hyo Jin, or keep on hoping since this dating news is currently being denied denied denied. I think Jooyeon is really pretty and has great style and personality when I see her acting onscreen even in small roles. Whatever makes them happy, dating or just good friends, is fine with me.