Actor Jung Il-woo, 38, who’s famously kept his love life off the radar for nearly two decades, is suddenly at the center of romance chatter thanks to a single Instagram post ― and its swift delete. The woman in question is a CEO surnamed Park, the founder of a plant-based K-food company for which Jung serves as a model.
On Oct. 9, Jung uploaded two photos captioned “A Good Day,” then quickly took them down. In one, he appears to snap a shot of someone seated across from him at a restaurant. The other features CEO Park, smiling brightly with dishes in front of her.
Fans also clocked that Jung and Park seemed to sport the same phone case model in different colors ― fueling talk of a couple “soft launch.” The rapid deletion only stoked the rumor mill.
Jung shot to fame with the 2006 sitcom "High Kick!" and has largely avoided dating headlines ever since. Park launched her food company in November 2021, targeting the U.S. market with ready-to-heat HMR staples like frozen gimbap, japchae, and bibimbap. The brand reportedly posted roughly 20 billion won in revenue last year, with exports accounting for 80% of sales ― and about 90% of that coming from major U.S. retail chains ― making her a standout in the global K-food wave.
Jung isn’t just a face for the brand; he’s said to be involved in product planning and development. Last year, he and Park attended a charity bazaar supporting children with incurable illnesses, donating 10 million won.
Asked about the post, Jung’s agency said only, “It’s the actor’s private life, so it’s difficult to confirm. We ask for your understanding,” neither confirming nor denying the relationship. Jung is currently appearing in KBS2’s weekend drama “Our Golden Days.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)