Super Junior's Kim Hee-chul and TWICE's Momo Hirai: a K-Pop star couple from beginning to end

One of the biggest news stories to enter the K-pop world recently was the bombshell of Super Junior’s Kim Hee-chul and TWICE’s Momo Hirai’s breakup. The couple had been dating for more than a prior to the breakup and were one of K-pop most celebrated couples. Let's revisit what the media reported on this big breakup.

(Image: SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment)

Kim Hee-chul, also known by his stage name Heechul, is a member of the K-pop boy band Super Junior. Heechul is considered a veteran of the K-pop scene due to his involvement in Super Junior, and other K-entertainment ventures.

(Image: SM Entertainment)

Heechul was born in Wonju in South Korea on 10 July 1983. He is the second of two children in his family.

(Image: SM Entertainment)

Did you know that Heechul was inspired to be a K-pop star in 2002 thanks to PSY, who is known popularly now for ‘Gangnam Style’? After watching PSY’s performance on TV, Heechul decided to move to Seoul to take part in SM Entertainment’s open auditions. He passed and the rest was history!

(Image: SM Entertainment)

Prior to joining Super Junior, Heechul was already famous for his acting talents as an individual star. But, the novelty of Super Junior’s 12-member group size and pool of talents propelled him to become a bigger celebrity after he joined! Through Super Junior, Heechul was able to better showcase his skill as a singer and overall entertainer.

(Image: SM Entertainment)

In a 2019 article from Dongga, Heechul was also reported to not be able to join in the promotion of Super Junior activities due to a leg injury that rendered him unable to dance. As such, the K-pop star had to switch careers from being primarily a K-pop singer and dancer, into a reality TV star! Kim Heechul’s now extensive TV work has earned him the status as one of South Korea’s established TV personalities and household names!

(Image: SM Entertainment)

Kim Heechul’s now extensive TV work has earned him the status as one of South Korea’s established TV personalities and household names! Some of Heechul’s most iconic works on TV include ‘Knowing Bros’, ‘Friends’, ‘1 Percent of Friendship’, and ‘Begin A Game’.

(Image: SM Entertainment)

Momo Hirai, known by her stage name Momo, is a member of the K-pop girl group TWICE.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

Born on 9 November 1996 in Kyoto, Japan, Momo Hirai is of Japanese descent. She and her sister were both scouted by JYP Entertainment and were asked to audition to become K-pop stars. However, only Momo was successful and moved to Seoul to train under JYP Entertainment in April 2012.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

Momo’s formal entrance into K-pop was a unique one! Initially, members of the upcoming girl group TWICE were to be chosen through a reality TV competition, ‘Sixteen’. Momo was in the competition but was eliminated. However, she returned near the show’s finale and at last managed to join in the final lineup for TWICE!

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

In October 2015, Momo formally debuted in TWICE under the management of JYP Entertainment. Alongside her are members Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

From Style Caster, the two met naturally as senior and junior in the Korean entertainment industry in 2017, where Super Junior collaborated with TWICE on a program. The two were often seen being close to one another, which led to speculation that they might be more than friends by their respective fandoms.

(Image: SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment)

Initially, the rumors were aggressively denied by both Heechul and Momo’s agencies, Label SJ and JYP Entertainment respectively in August 2019. However, The Straits Times reported that the two agencies finally admitted that the dating rumors were true in January the next year.

(Image: SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment)

The Straits Times even noted that the news of Heechul and Momo dating meant that there was a new star couple in town! The star power of the two combined even propped them up on Joy News’ hottest couple list in 2020.

(Image: SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment)

Even as many fans of the two were celebrating the confirmed news of Heechul and Momo’s relationship, not all were happy about the news. From Allkpop, some took to leaving hate comments about Momo and Heechul on the personal Instagram page of Momo Hirai’s sister, Hana Hirai.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

From Allkpop, netizens and fans of Heechul and Momo have swiftly come to defend the couple and Momo’s family, and the mean comments have since been taken down.

(Image: JYP Entertainment)

Despite how celebrated Heechul and Momo’s relationship was in the K-pop world, the two, unfortunately, were reported to have broken up on July 8. A source familiar with the couple broke the news to 'Star Today.'

(Image: kimheenim on Instagram)

Later in the same day, both agencies for Heechul and Momo confirmed the news that the two had indeed broken up.

(Image: kimheenim on Instagram)

The initial news report of the breakup on 'Star Today' stated that it was allegedly caused by the stars' busy schedules. Their lack of free time had caused the two to drift apart. 'Soompi' reported, however, that Heechul’s agency (Label SJ) refused to confirm or deny any of this, stating that “[they] cannot answer the details of it as it is the artist’s private life.”

(Image: kimheenim on Instagram)

A power couple in K-Entertainment is now part of history. While the news was sad for all supporting the relationship, fans obviously wish Heechul and Momo all the best in their now-individual journeys in life.

(Image: kimheenim on Instagram)