Ryu Jun Yeol: From Reply 1988 to the love triangle that caused a stir in the Korean entertainment industry

Phuong Cuc/VOV.VN According to KBIZOOM

Thu 21 Mar 2024

Although he does not have the advantage of appearance, Ryu Jun Yeol is still loved by the audience for his acting talent. Recently, he was the main character in a love triangle that caused a stir in the Korean entertainment industry.

Famous thanks to "Reply 1988"

Ryu Jun Yeol was born in 1986, started his acting career in 2012 with a few short films. After that, he took on supporting roles in some lesser-known works such as East Thai, Angry People, Glory Day... Before becoming an actor, he held many different jobs such as delivering pizza and tutoring,... to make a living while attending college.

Ryu Jun Yeol had his first leading role in the movie Social Phobia in 2014. However, his name really became famous thanks to his role as Kim Jung Hwan in the famous drama Reply 1988 . Jung Hwan is a guy with a cold appearance but has secret feelings for Duk Sun.

After the drama ended, Ryu Jun Yeol's fan base increased rapidly. They lovingly call him “puppy face”. Among the forest of handsome Korean men , Ryu Jun Yeol stands out with his "unusual" appearance. However, the main highlight is his single eyelids and special facial features unlike anyone else.

Thanks to his role as Kim Jung Hwan, the star born in 1986 won the Best New Actor award at the Baeksang Arts Awards and the Best New Actor award at the 2015 Asia Artist Awards.

The success of Reply 1988 paved the way for the actor to try more challenging roles on the big screen. Participating in blockbuster movies such as The King, A Taxi Driver, Believer,... Ryu Jun Yeol demonstrated flexible acting ability, intelligent and sophisticated performances. Each of his performances has its own unique character, not monotonous like many other young actors.

Promising face "guarantees box office success"

Ryu Jun Yeol has become a name that guarantees box office success. The films he participated in all achieved notable achievements, notably The King (2017), A Taxi Driver (2017), Believer (2018)... The King is the 7th highest-grossing film in Korea. 2017, bringing Ryu Jun Yeol the Best New Film award, the Actor Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards 2017 and The Seoul Awards 2017.

Meanwhile, A Taxi Driver set many records at the Korean box office. This is the highest-grossing film of 2017 with 90.13 million USD, becoming the 10th Korean film in history to surpass 12 million viewers. Ryu Jun Yeol received a nomination for Best New Actor at the 2017 Blue Dragon Awards.

Believer is a special case. Initially, the film faced many mixed opinions from the audience and some critics. Yonhap News even said that Believer is a tense, dramatic movie but contains too much violence and sexual content.

However, when officially launched, Believer unexpectedly surpassed two Hollywood blockbusters, Deadpool 2 and Solo: A Star Wars Story, in the domestic market. According to statistics from the Korean Film Association in 2018, Believer reached more than 3 million viewers in just 12 days - a dream achievement for many Korean films. The film also maintained the number one box office position during that time.

Ryu Jun Yeol plays the main role of Rak, a member of a drug trafficking gang in Believer. After the bombing by a mysterious leader, fearing another attack, Rak and another member sought help from the police. He silently helps police officer Won Ho investigate the mastermind behind the organization.

Ryu Jun Yeol has appeared in many highly rated films. Rak is a character with few lines, complex psychological developments and a challenge for the actor. The 33-year-old star's convincing performance received positive feedback from the audience.

Dating scandal

7 year relationship with Lee Hyeri :

Having the opportunity to work together in Reply 1988, Ryu Jun Yeol and Lee Hyeri disappointed the audience when they did not have a happy ending in the movie. However, after the drama ended, Dispatch released evidence and doubts about the two's romantic relationship.

Before going public, Jun Yeol's thoughtful and caring gestures for Hyeri always gave the audience a lot of hope for their relationship. Whether on stage or on a secret date by the Han River, Jun Yeol is always seen treating his girlfriend with the utmost gentleness and respect.

Then in March 2016, the couple announced their relationship, making fans excited. They are one of the few couples in showbiz that inspire positivity about love.

In 2019, after a period of facing breakup rumors due to being "quite silent" about the relationship, Hyeri did not hesitate to share: "Even though we are quite busy, we are still very happy. We meet often like I often meet Girl's Day members."

However, on November 13, 2023, the couple announced their separation, ending their dreamlike relationship.

Controversial love story with Han So Hee

On March 15, 2024, social networks exploded with rumors about a love triangle involving the trio Han So Hee, Ryu Jun Yeol and Hyeri. Starting from the morning of the same day, rumors of Ryu Jun Yeol and Han So Hee dating spread after a netizen discovered two famous Korean stars vacationing together in Hawaii. Soon after, Ryu Jun Yeol's management company confirmed that he was indeed in Hawaii but refused to comment on the dating rumors. Meanwhile, Han So Hee denied the rumors by replying that she was on vacation with her close friend.

The climax came when Hyeri, Ryu Jun Yeol's ex-girlfriend, posted on Instagram story with a photo resembling a Hawaiian landscape and the caption "So fun". In addition, the singer and actress unfollowed her ex-boyfriend on Instagram. These actions are understood as Hyeri's reaction to the ambiguous relationship between Ryu Jun Yeol and Han So Hee. Immediately afterward, Han So Hee also responded with a story post on Instagram, affirming that she and Ryu Jun Yeol did not cheat on Hyeri. In particular, the status line "I also find this interesting" is considered a response to Hyeri's post.

On the morning of March 16, just one day after denying the rumors, Han So Hee shared a letter on social networks, suddenly publicly confirming her romantic relationship with Ryu Jun Yeol. In the post, the actress revealed that she and her boyfriend have been dating since early 2024. They met at a photo exhibition when she came to support her friend who is a photographer.

Notably, the star of the movie "Gyeongseong Creature" once again denied being a third party involved in the relationship between Ryu Jun Yeol and Hyeri. Han So Hee emphasized that she and her boyfriend actually started dating after he and his ex-girlfriend officially went their separate ways. Han So Hee explained: "He ended his relationship with Hyeri in early 2023, but news of their breakup only appeared last November."

After Han So Hee's actions, Ryu Jun Yeol also publicly announced his relationship with the 90s beauty. The actor born in 1986 confirmed that he started dating Han So Hee after breaking up with Hyeri. In addition, Ryu Jun Yeol's management company requested the media to respect his privacy and announced that it would sue those who spread negative rumors about his personal life.