Bae Yong-joon splits with chaebol girlfriend, 14 years his junior

Korean actor Bae Yong-joon confirmed on Tuesday that he had separated from girlfriend Koo So-hee, who is 14 years younger than him, over a year since reports first broke that he had started dating the conglomerate vice president’s daughter.

KeyEast Entertainment revealed that that 42-year-old‘s relationship had ended, but declined to disclose specifics, citing privacy reasons.

Bae, who shot to international stardom with box-office hits like “Winter Sonata” and “April Snow,” was first spotted by Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports on dates with Koo in shopping districts near Tokyo in December 2013.

Korean media outlets quickly followed up on the news. Reports soon surfaced that Bae and Koo had been in a relationship since September 2013, an accepted fact in the financial world.

KeyEast Entertainment initially denied all knowledge about the relationship before confirming the rumors. The management label, however, remained tight-lipped throughout the duration of their romance.

“Since she is not a celebrity like Bae, but someone who just lives an ordinary life, we anticipate there will be a lot of discomfort and pain if we expose the detailed circumstances of their private life,” a spokesperson said, requesting the media to respect their privacy.

The couple attracted renewed speculation in May 2014, when rumors circulated that Bae was planning to tie the knot in June, which was fiercely denied by the actor’s management label.

Koo, born in 1986, reportedly struggled over differences in social status with Bae, born in 1972.

“So-hee, who is from a reputable chaebol (conglomerate) lineage, is surrounded by people who look down on celebrities. Some of her relatives oppose her relationship with Bae, whom they believe is trying to scale the social ladder,” Japanese tabloid magazine Josei Seven reported in July, citing an unnamed Korean daily newspaper journalist.

“Given the state of affairs, it’s only natural that Koo will eventually bow to her family’s wishes regarding her future marriage.”

Koo graduated from New York’s Syracuse University with a marketing degree before attaining a master’s degree in international trade from Korea University.

The beauty, who is the second daughter of industrial company LS Cable & System’s former vice president Koo Ja-gyun, is related to the founder of Korean conglomerate LG Corporation on her mother’s side.

By Yoon Sarah (sarah356@heraldcorp.com)