Lee Seung-gi weds Lee Da-in! Secret honeymoon in Singapore?

Superstar Lee Seung-gi tied the knot with fellow actress Lee Da-in on April 7, 2023. Despite their seemingly joyful union, netizens haven't been happy with the couple due to previous controversies and their appearance in Singapore shortly after their wedding.

What is the drama all about?

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In May 2021, Dispatch Korea revealed that they had caught South Korean A-list celebrity Lee Seung-gi, and actress Lee Da-in together at some time in 2020. The news shook the Korean entertainment world, and the responses towards the couple were mixed then!

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Lee Seung-gi, born on 13 January 1987, is a South Korean entertainer, host, singer, and actor. His success in various fields earned him the title of a 'Triple Threat' entertainer.

When he was 15 years old, Lee Seung-gi was personally scouted by singer Lee Sun-hee, who also happens to be ‘Korea’s national [singing] diva.' He then trained for two years before officially debuting as a singer at the age of 17 on 5 June 2004.

With the release of his debut album ‘The Dream of a Moth’ in 2004, Lee Seung-gi paved the way for the phenomenal trope of ‘attraction to older women’ in South Korean media culture, Herald Biz reports. The song was so popular that it earned Lee Seung-gi “Best Newcomer” in several Korean music awards.

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Aside from singing, Lee Seung-gi also branched out into acting and made his official debut as an actor in KBS’s 2006 drama ‘Famous Chil Princesses’.

Image: MBC

Similarly finding success as an actor, Lee Seung-gi has starred in many popular dramas such as ‘Gu Family Book’, ‘Vagabond’, ‘My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox’, and ‘Mouse’. His roles have earned him many prestigious acting awards in South Korea.

Throughout his life, Lee Seung-gi has been passionate about learning, and he continued with it through his busy acting and singing career. He graduated from Dongguk University with a degree in international trade and commerce and was even handed a special achievement award at his graduation.

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Lee Seung-gi then continued to pursue his studies at Dongguk Graduate School, successfully obtaining two master’s degrees in marketing, and trade theory, together with finance and cultural content.

Did you know: Lee Seung-gi’s influence in the Korean entertainment world has even netted him the privilege of singing with South Korean figure skating Olympic champion, Kim Yuna. Their duet in the reworked version of Lee Seung-gi’s ‘Smile Boy’ was picked to be the 2010 FIFA World Cup commercial song in South Korea itself.

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His duet with Kim Yuna in 2010 was not the last of Lee Seung-gi’s Olympic involvement. The actor-singer was selected to be one of the torchbearers in the 2012 London Summer Olympics, representing the nation.

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Adding on to his talent and success in acting and singing is Lee Seung-gi’s performance as a TV host. His first and most prominent hosting experience was with hosting KBS’s popular TV variety show, ‘1 Night 2 Days’ from November 2007 to February 2012.

This was the gig that propelled Lee Seung-gi to his current status as a household name in South Korea!

With his achievements, looks, and talent, it is no wonder that Lee Seung-gi has earned the title of the 'Nation’s Little Brother' in South Korea. His clean image has also netted him the honor of being appointed as the Honorary Online Ambassador by South Korea’s National Election Commission in 2012.

This goes to show how popular and esteemed a celebrity Lee Seung-gi is.

Lee Da-in, given name Lee Joo-hee, was born on 5 November 1992. She is a South Korean actress.

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Like her sister, Lee Yu-bi, Lee Da-in is also an actress. The two siblings decided to follow in their birth parents’ footsteps, Kyeon Mi-ri and Im Young-gyu, by choosing to pursue acting as a career, according to Republic World.

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Lee Da-in debuted in acting when she turned 20 in 2014. Her first role was cameo-ing in Lee Jae-Kyoo’s debut film 'The Fatal Encounter.' Cosmo reports that in the same year, she landed her first major role by acting as Kim Hye-rim in TvN’s ‘Twenty Years Old’.

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Lee Da-in’s major works include 'Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth,' 'My Golden Life,' 'Alice,' and 'Doctor Prisoner.'

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After filming ‘Twenty Years Old’ in 2014, Lee Da-in’s next opportunity to act in a lead role came 6 years later in 'Alice.' Further, unlike her mother Kyeon Mi-ri who has had a very comprehensive and fleshed-out acting portfolio, Lee Da-in was not as prolific an actress and only has 11 roles to her name.

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Despite having not much under her belt, Lee Da-in managed to get nominated for an Excellence Award in South Korea’s 28th SBS Drama Awards. This came as a long-awaited honor as the nomination is her first-ever, after being in the industry for 6 years.

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It came as a shock to many netizens when Dispatch suddenly revealed in May that Lee Seung-gi and Lee Da-in were photographed together in the Fall of 2020, leading to rumors that the two were dating. Many could not fathom how the two met and coupled up.

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True to the rumors, Soompi reported that the relationship was confirmed on May 24, 2021. Lee Da-in’s agency, 9Ato Entertainment, admitted that the two had been dating since 2020. From a translated quote by 9Ato Entertainment, the agency wished both the couple well and hoped the public could support the two.

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From South China Morning Post, it seems that the two met during golf sessions. This is not the first time that Korean celebrities have been brought together through golf, as actor and actress Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin have, too, coupled up when they got closer together through playing the sport.

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Soompi shared that the couple did not only have approval from Lee Da-in’s own agency (a hard feat to manage given the strict rules regarding dating in the South Korean entertainment world) but Lee Da-in’s own mother, Kyeon Mi-ri, also gave a big O.K to the couple herself when asked about the news during a segment on CJ OnStyle!

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In the 2021 SBS Entertainment Awards, Lee Seung-gi won the 'Best Producer' award for his work in ‘Master in the House’ and ‘Team Up 072’. The star drew attention for mentioning his girlfriend, actress Lee Da-in, during his acceptance speech and thanked her for her support.

Even with the blessings given to the couple from their agencies and parents themselves, Lee Seung-gi and Lee Da-in’s relationship was met with opposition from the actor’s very own fan club.

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According to Korea Times, the reason why some Lee Seung-gi fans were against the couple was because of Lee Da-in’s family history. Lee Da-in’s stepfather, Lee Hong-Heon, served time behind bars for manipulating stock prices. Fans were worried about this matter potentially tarnishing Lee Seung-gi’s 'squeaky clean' image as one of South Korea’s household names.

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In a bid to convince Lee Seung-gi to end the relationship, fans of the actor-singer and host sent in a protest truck late in May to his house. From Korea Times, the message on the LED protest truck read: “It is okay that you didn't know. But now you should know. They turned so many people into victims.” The fans urged the actor to quickly think twice before "ruining" his career.

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Although it is understandable why Lee Seung-gi fans were against his relationship with Lee Da-in, the decision of a breakup or a union is a personal one and it is up to the couple to make.

Who would've thought that they would end up getting married in April 2023?

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Surprise, surprise! After dating for over two years, Soompi reports that Lee Seung-gi and Lee Da-in married on April 7, 2023, in a private ceremony at the Grand Intercontinental Seoul-Parnas Hotel.

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Although the couple claimed they would hold a private ceremony, Koreaboo reports that it became public news. The guest list, which included celebrities such as Yoo Jae Suk, Lee Dong Wook, and Bae Suzy, was also made public.

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According to 8days, Lee Seung-gi and Lee Da-in were spotted in Singapore near Liat Towers on April 13, shortly after their wedding. It was controversial because they had previously stated that they would not be taking a honeymoon trip in order to focus on their careers.

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According to a Koreaboo article, the couple had previously stated that they were too busy with their careers - Lee Da-in working on MBC's new drama 'Lovers' and Lee Seung-gi preparing for his May Asia concert tour - to plan a honeymoon. As a result, Lee Da-in's presence in Singapore with her newlywed husband raised several questions.

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According to the same 8days report, both Lee Seung-gi's label Human Made and Lee Da-in's agency released statements that the couple's Singapore trip was strictly business-related and the couple are not in the country to secretly celebrate their honeymoon.

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Nonetheless, Koreaboo stated that netizens remain skeptical, claiming that the couple is lying about not taking a honeymoon because their private ceremony has become public knowledge. Furthermore, some have questioned the legitimacy of labeling their Singapore visit as a "business trip."

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Some netizens were concerned that Lee Seung-gi's image had been tainted as a result of the scrutiny surrounding their relationship, including Lee Da-in's stepfather's criminal past, according to Koreaboo. As the recent controversy shows, however, it is not so much the couple but rather the fans that are making trouble.

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