Where Are They Now? The Male Idol Who Was Caught Up In Multiple Dating Scandals At Once
Veteran idol H.O.T‘s Kangta was once caught up in not one but two dating rumors in one day!
In 2019, news reports claimed that Kangta was dating actress Jung Yu Mi (also romanized as Jung Yoo Mi).
She was widely known to be a longtime fan of H.O.T!
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Yet, within hours of the news report, racing model Woo Joo Ahn, Kangta’s ex-girlfriend, claimed they got back together. It began when she accidentally leaked a video of herself on a date with Kangta at a sauna. In the video, they appeared to be joking around when he kissed her.
Woo Joo Ahn quickly deleted the post before sharing an explanation via her Instagram. She said she had dated Kangta in the past, but they had broken up. Allegedly, they had gotten back together, but the video was posted by accident.
I’m sincerely sorry to have caused an inconvenience and difficult time for many people today.
Kangta and I had broken up last year after dating, but we recently began seeing each other again.
I offended and worried many people by accidentally posting an old video that we took together last year.
I would like to sincerely apologize to Kangta who was probably surprised by my mistake, as well as everyone who I had hurt.
— Woo Joo Ahn
Kangta’s agency, SM Entertainment, contradicted Woo Joo Ahn with its statement, saying they had dated but “already broken up years ago.” Kanta released a statement, too, apologizing.
This is Kangta.
I’m sorry that I caused a disturbance to everyone due to my personal affairs. After breaking up last year, I met with Woo Joo Ahn again near the end of July a couple of days ago. As we were contacting each other, a very flustering event occurred where she accidentally uploaded a video of us together on her personal social media account. The video was taken last year before we broke up.
Woo Joo Ahn uploaded her statement last night after sharing it with me first.
But we ultimately decided to end things as they are now.
As we’ve ended our relationship, I do not want to hurt Woo Joo Ahn anymore, and I want to apologize once again to everyone for causing a disturbance with my personal affairs.
— Kangta
Concerning Jung Yu Mi and Kangta’s relationship, their respective agencies, Ace Factory and SM Entertainment, claimed they were only friends. They denied the dating reports.
The dating rumors are not true. They are just close colleagues.
— SM Entertainment
The dating rumors are absolutely false. They are just close friends.
— Ace Factory
Things became even more complicated when announcer Oh Jung Yeon, who was formerly married to basketball player and TV personality Seo Jang Hoon, wrote a shocking post via Instagram. She accused Kangta of cheating on her with Woo Joo Ahn two years prior.
What happens when your boyfriend, who you’ve been dating seriously for 6 months and have been desperately waiting to meet again, was found in bed with another woman? It’s absolutely traumatizing.
What if he told you that he was going to sleep early but was secretly spending time with another woman, and he had no sense of remorse? That trauma multiplies.
What if that boyfriend was someone who you’ve thought of as an idol ever since you were young? You’re hurt in an incredible way where everything you’ve seen, heard and believed in the world feels like a lie.
This was something I personally experienced 2 years ago. I was hurt so much that I suffered greatly for a very long time.
I worked so hard to recover and am now finally able to live happily, but I’m clearly reminded of the nightmare when I see those two names on the search engines.
It’s fitting for someone who made me cry blood yet felt no remorse to receive his rightful punishment, but he will probably take care of the situation as if nothing had happened and return to promoting again…
Is it too foolish of me to ask for a world with justice…?
— Oh Jung Yeon
Woo Joo Ahn responded, sharing her side of the story via her Instagram account. She emphasized that she was not a homewrecker.
I felt that I needed to respond quickly to avoid any misunderstanding. Since I don’t have an agency who can spread a press release for me.. I’m sorry that I have to explain it through Instagram. I hope that someone knows that she has hurt me and my peers greatly by choosing to target me and write a post using offensive words.
I know what day you are talking about.
That day, we were watching an animation film in the room when someone wearing a hat came in and asked who I was. She kept asking me how long I’ve been seeing him, so I told her that I’ve only been seeing him for a few weeks.
I was very shocked and scared at the time. I was very scared and didn’t know what to do. Much like how you’re looking at me now, I worried that I had broken up a precious relationship.
This happened around April, and you told me yourself that you guys had only seen each other until the year before. It seemed that you guys weren’t together anymore. But I still felt that you probably had something you needed to get off your chest, and something led you to come this far, so even though I was shocked and having a hard time, I left quietly to allow you two to talk it out. You guys talked after I left and I don’t know what you guys talked about since I wasn’t there.
It was a very traumatic day for me, so I clearly remember every part of our short conversation. I’m suffering from all the hate and attacks that I’m getting now.
I didn’t know who you were that day and even up until now. But did you have to suddenly write that and label me as a ‘home wrecker’.. Seeing as you probably knew who I was and what my name was, I think it would have been better for you to reach out to me first and tell me what was going on.
You had more than enough time to tell me what I did wrong and what I misunderstood. Please don’t label me as a home wrecker before finding out the truth.
Everyone experienced heartbreaks before by losing a lover. It probably feels like the same hell for everyone. I’ve also experienced the pain that you’re feeling before. If you know what I’m feeling right now, please don’t take your rage out on me. Even if you’re angry, I’m not the one you should be angry with.. I was also very scared and hurt by that day.
Please don’t misunderstand. I sincerely request it of you.
— Woo Joo Ahn
It seems everyone involved had different views on what happened. Oh Jung Yeon commented on her own post, claiming that she “wrote only the facts as best as she could as a woman” while requesting that nobody attack her as she “no longer has anything to say.”
On the other hand, Kangta and Jung Yu Mi confirmed their relationship about seven months after their companies denied reports. Both agencies confirmed they were, in fact, dating with statements.
They are currently dating with good feelings towards each other. They were close senior and junior, but recently started dating.
— Ace Factory
In May 2022, rumors circulated that Kangta and Jung Yu Mi would marry in the fall of that year. Yet, their respective agencies, SM Entertainment and Mystic Story, confirmed that the couple was still dating but had no plans for marriage at the time. Still, there are no reports that the couple has married or split.
It is true that Kangta and Jung Yu Mi are dating happily; however, nothing has been decided yet.
—SM Entertainment
Kangta has also kept busy with his career. In 2022, he made his comeback as a solo artist with his fourth studio album, Eyes on You. This was his first comeback in nearly two decades (since 2005)!
Kangta has also been the creative director of SM Entertainment since 2005 after he re-signed with the agency, receiving a portion of the down payment as a stock. This year, Kangta is the “executive producer of SMASHHIT Productions Team, one of the three CICs of Kreation Music Rights, SM Entertainment’s music publishing subsidiary.”
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