[Focus] The Film Industry Knew... Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin Met Through the Bridge of 'Negotiation' Love♥

Behind the Marriage of Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin
The Matchmaker is the Movie 'The Negotiation'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Actors Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin announced their marriage side by side late at night.

It was not surprising. News of actors Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin getting married quickly spread within the industry recently. Although rumors about their marriage have circulated numerous times over the past few years, this time a specific timeframe of March was mentioned. It felt less like a planned announcement timed perfectly and more like a hurried disclosure in response to ongoing inquiries.

Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin denied dating rumors three times before finally confirming their relationship on the fourth occasion in January 2021. Both sides said they started dating after the tvN drama "Crash Landing on You" ended in March 2020, but industry insiders had already been talking about their unusual closeness even before filming began. There were even talks that the two would get married after the drama ended. After reluctantly acknowledging their relationship, the couple announced their marriage just one year later, marking the birth of a "top star" couple.

They began to look at each other seriously while promoting the 2018 film "The Negotiation." In the movie, they played a kidnapper and a negotiator, communicating through video calls and phone conversations. Although they met on set, they did not have much close interaction as co-stars looking into each other's eyes.

Typically, actors participate in about a month of promotional activities before a film's release. Before the pandemic, this included press conferences, photo shoots, video shoots, followed by press screenings, showcases, and interviews. During the first to third weekends after release, they also attend regional stage greetings, traveling together by large bus rather than personal vehicles, visiting various theaters. This process often brings actors closer than during filming.

Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin were no exception. At the "The Negotiation" production briefing and press screening, a pinkish atmosphere was already sensed. Despite some awkwardness during coverage, there was a strange excitement in the air. They smiled continuously and their gazes toward each other were full of affection. Perhaps due to their well-matched vibe, reporters covering the event whispered that "something is going on." Film insiders also agreed, saying, "The two communicate well and seem quite close."

Son Ye-jin said in an interview with Asia Economy before the release of "The Negotiation," "I feel sorry that I met Hyun Bin briefly. I want to meet again and definitely work on an interesting project together. It would be nice to try acting in a romance together."

Hyun Bin also said, "I hope to meet Son Ye-jin again in a different genre. Acting with her was fun, and the more I did it, the more I wanted to work together. We talked about meeting again someday in a romance."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The compliments were not just to raise interest in the film before its release. There was a sense of regret in their words. It was sincere. Afterwards, the two showed their friendship by posting selfies taken together during regional stage greetings. Although the photos were likely for film promotion, online reactions said they "look good together."

Naturally, dating rumors surfaced. About three months after the "The Negotiation" promotion ended, in January 2019, rumors spread on online communities that Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin were traveling in the U.S. and had dinner with their parents. There were also eyewitness accounts of the two traveling affectionately. Ten days later, they were spotted shopping together at a supermarket in Los Angeles (LA). Their agencies denied the dating rumors, stating, "It is true they are staying in the U.S., but they were with acquaintances," and "They are close friends, not lovers."

About 11 months later, Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin starred as romantic leads in a melodrama. The tvN drama "Crash Landing on You," in which they played a North Korean army officer and a chaebol heiress, respectively, aired its first episode in December 2019 and gained huge popularity not only in Korea but also in Japan. During the broadcast, marriage rumors even arose.

On January 1, 2021, Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin confirmed their relationship on the fourth dating rumor. Since then, marriage rumors continued. When news emerged that Hyun Bin sold his house in Heukseok-dong, Seoul, and purchased a luxury penthouse in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, speculation arose that they were preparing a newlywed home.

One year and one month after confirming their relationship, Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin announced their marriage. Their agencies stated on the night of the 10th, "The two plan to hold a wedding ceremony in March at a location in Seoul. Due to the difficult times caused by COVID-19, the ceremony will be private, attended only by parents and close acquaintances."

Son Ye-jin shared on her social network service (SNS), "I have found someone to spend the rest of my life with. I thought that when a man and a woman meet, share their hearts, and promise a future, it would be something unimaginable, but it naturally came to this point. I am grateful to everything around us that made our connection fate."

Hyun Bin also said, "Having made the important decision of marriage, I am cautiously stepping into the second act of my life. I promised to walk the days ahead with the woman who always makes me smile. Jung-hyuk and Se-ri, who were together in the work, will take that step together."

Congratulations have poured in domestically and internationally on the news of their marriage. Fellow actors Song Yoon-ah, Lee Jung-hyun, Oh Yoon-ah, and others sent congratulatory messages on SNS, and the Swiss Embassy in Korea posted a congratulatory message on its official account. Japanese media also covered the news extensively, showing great interest.

Meanwhile, Son Ye-jin will return to the small screen through the JTBC drama "Thirty-Nine," premiering on the 16th, with all filming completed. Hyun Bin has confirmed his appearance in director Woo Bin-ho's spy action film "Harbin" and is preparing for the releases of "Negotiation" and "Confidential Assignment 2: International."