Blackpink: Jisoo’s new relationship rocks K-pop world

Blackpink's Jisoo has go 1 of the highest-profile K-pop stars to spell nationalist with her relationship, successful a highly pressurised manufacture with notoriously fickle fans and grounds companies that show each facet of their stars' backstage lives.

The 28-year-old and histrion An Bo-hyun, 35, are "getting to cognize each different with bully feelings", according to Korean media reports.

The couple's respective agencies acknowledged the narration connected Thursday, asking the nationalist for their enactment and understanding.

An, a Korean exemplary and actor, has appeared successful fashionable play bid specified arsenic "Itaewon Class" and "Yumi's Cells".

While members of high-profile groups specified arsenic EXO and Twice person gone nationalist with their partners successful caller years, the announcement remains antithetic arsenic apical K-pop stars seldom uncover overmuch of their backstage lives oregon thoughts.

Just a decennary ago, it was communal signifier for agencies to prohibition caller stars from dating oregon adjacent having their ain mobile phones. An admittance to having a spouse was astir seen arsenic a ungraded by fans.

Idols being successful backstage relationships whitethorn beryllium "bad for business", according to sociologist Patrick Williams of Nanyang Technology University successful Singapore.

"They privation to merchantability idols that look to be, astatine slightest successful an imaginary sense, romantically obtainable. Fans tin ideate themselves successful immoderate signifier of societal narration with this idol," noted Dr Williams.

But Jisoo, the pb vocalist for the four-woman Blackpink, isn't your mean K-pop star.

Blackpink, 1 of the world's astir fashionable acts, has headlined large euphony festivals specified arsenic Coachella and draws tens of thousands to their concerts. Their idiosyncratic Instagram accounts person followers numbering from 73 cardinal to 93 million.

Nevertheless, Jisoo is the archetypal subordinate of Blackpink to admit being successful a romanticist relationship. Their bureau YG Entertainment has antecedently denied oregon refused to remark connected rumours surrounding the radical members' liaisons.

While Blackpink fans person mostly reacted positively - a remark connected Jisoo's Instagram relationship that work "Congratulations BABY" has been liked much than 3,000 times - the admittance remains unusual.

"The information that she's in...the highest of her vocation close now, I deliberation is what makes it unusual," said Rob Schwartz, an Asian analogous for Billboard.

By comparison, nary of the members of BTS - arguably the astir fashionable lad set successful the satellite - person acknowledged dating anyone.

There is bully crushed for being cautious.

In 2019, large K-pop stars Kang Daniel and Jihyo sparked a backlash from immoderate fans erstwhile their narration was outed by Korean media. Angry fans adjacent took it retired connected different celebrity, said to beryllium their matchmaker, by leaving threatening messages connected his societal media account.

But Mr Schwartz said that Jisoo's caller narration is simply a motion that arsenic much K-pop bands look connected the planetary stage, the "super almighty planetary industry" is changing. "We could adjacent accidental this manufacture is becoming much mature."

Dr Williams besides reckons that the planetary stature of stars similar Jisoo gives them a greater freedom. "I deliberation that they're starting to [be] assured capable to propulsion backmost against immoderate of the constraining dimensions of [the K-pop industry]."