[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] EXO's Chen (28, real name Kim Jong-dae) has announced a surprise marriage and premarital pregnancy, eliciting mixed reactions from fans.
On the afternoon of the 13th, Chen posted a handwritten letter on the official fan club community 'Lysn.' The letter contained news of his marriage and hinted at a premarital pregnancy.
In the letter, Chen wrote, "There is a girlfriend I want to spend my life with. I wanted to share the news a little earlier so that fans who take pride in me would not be surprised by sudden news." He continued, "Then a blessing came. Although it was surprising, it gave me more strength. I am grateful to the fans who send me overwhelming love."
Fans' reactions to Chen's surprise announcement were divided. On EXO fan pages, SNS, and various online communities, posts both congratulating Chen on his marriage and premarital pregnancy and criticizing him for lacking responsibility as an idol flooded in.
Fans congratulating the marriage and premarital pregnancy said, "At 29, it's about time to get married. It's admirable how he considers his girlfriend. It's a double celebration," showing support for Chen.
However, some fans criticized Chen's attitude, saying, "Was my concert ticket money for baby formula? He knows the idol business better than anyone but shows no responsibility. It's ridiculous to announce this after finishing all the concerts."
EXO's Chen (28, real name Kim Jong-dae) announced his marriage news through a handwritten letter. Photo by fan community screen capture
Along with Chen's announcement of marriage and premarital pregnancy, previous marriage and pregnancy news of other idols were brought back into the spotlight.
When the marriage news of Crayon Pop's Soyul and first-generation idol H.O.T.'s member Moon Hee-jun was revealed in 2016, fans' reactions were also mixed. Moon Hee-jun posted a handwritten letter on the fan cafe to announce the news, and the reactions from both sides' fans were generally positive.
However, shortly after, Soyul appeared at Moon Hee-jun's solo concert, leading to criticism that they treated fans like ATMs. At the time, they denied premarital pregnancy rumors but gave birth to a child three months after their marriage, which sparked controversy.
Sunye was also criticized as a "burden to the team" when Wonder Girls disbanded in 2017 following her marriage and pregnancy. Choi Min-hwan of FT Island and Yulhee of LABOUM also faced similar criticism.
In contrast, the marriage news of Big Bang's Taeyang and actress Min Hyo-rin in February 2018 received many fans' congratulations. They had been in a public relationship for a long time, and Taeyang's solo song "Eyes, Nose, Lips" was known to express his affection for Min Hyo-rin.
Earlier, in June 2014, U-KISS's Eli's marriage to racing model Ji Yeon-soo, who is 11 years older, was met with fan support.
Netizens' reactions were also divided over the mixed fan responses. One netizen said, "I understand the fans' feelings," while others pointed out fans' attitudes, saying, "Is there a law that says you can't get married just because you have a special job?"
Meanwhile, Chen debuted in 2012 as the main vocalist of SM Entertainment's group EXO. He gained popularity with fellow group members Baekhyun and Xiumin as the unit EXO-CBX, and last year, he released a solo album seven years after his debut, receiving great love.
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