Online dating rumors are once again becoming a hot topic, as several rising stars have recently had to respond to claims that began from netizens’ guesses.
The latest case involved Heo Nam Jun, who is gaining attention through SBS’s “My Royal Nemesis”.
Some netizens noticed that he and actress Hong Yi Seol were following each other on social media and began claiming that the two were dating.
The rumor spread even more after people found out that Hong Yi Seol also appears in “My Royal Nemesis”.
As the speculation grew, Hong Yi Seol personally denied the rumor. She wrote, “There have recently been stories going around related to me, so I am carefully leaving this message”.
She explained, “The actor being mentioned, Heo Nam Jun, is only a good colleague I became close with while taking classes together in university. The dating rumor is not true at all”.
Hong Yi Seol also shared why she decided to speak up, saying, “I could not easily come forward because I was worried that my post might create another misunderstanding”.
She added that continued speculation seemed like it could cause trouble for Heo Nam Jun, so she chose to explain directly.
She also denied other related rumors, saying they were “all not true”.
Similar situations have happened to other public figures. Chef Son Jong Won, who gained popularity through “Culinary Class Wars 2” and “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator”, was rumored to be dating model Yeo Yeon Hee after netizens compared dog photos and similar looking backgrounds on social media.
Yeo Yeon Hee later denied the rumor on her YouTube channel, saying Son Jong Won was “an older brother I actually know”.
She also explained, “The dog photo he uploaded happened to look very similar to my Ra Woon, my pet dog. They are not the same dog”.
Byeon Woo Seok was also once caught in dating rumors with model Jeon Ji Soo after the two posted photos from the same place.
His agency later explained that they were close friends from university and that the photos were from a gathering with other acquaintances.
As these online rumors continue to spread from small social media clues, some netizens are now expressing concern.
Comments included, “It is scary how people check every little thing on social media”, “It is a big problem when guesses turn into rumors”, and “Is this something every rising star has to go through?”
