Former band member Yang denies their alleged relationship

The Seo Tai-ji rumor mill continued Wednesday afternoon as claims he had a relationship with TV actress Koo Hye-sun spread through online communities in South Korea.

According to rumors circulating among stock investors, musician Seo is currently dating actress Koo and has plans to marry her soon. Seo’s current love life is said to have caused his former wife and actress Lee Ji-ah to file a legal suit seeking compensation, reports say.

Seo and Koo allegedly met through Yang Hyun-seok, former member of Seo Taiji & Boys and now head of YG Entertainment, an entertainment agency.


Yang, however, denied their relationship in a telephone interview with a local entertainment newspaper, saying they have never met.

“It is a groundless rumor and does not make sense at all,” he was quoted as saying.

Reports of Seo and Lee’s secretive marriage and legal battle have sent shock waves throughout Korea since last week.

The revelation is all the more surprising because Lee generated headlines last month when heartthrob actor Jung Woo-sung admitted to having a special relationship with her. Jung and Lee starred together in a recent SBS spy drama “ATHENA: Goddess of War.”

Since her 2004 debut in a TV commercial, Lee’s personal profile has been shrouded in mystery. Her level of secrecy is now understood to be linked to her secret marriage to Seo and subsequent divorce.

It was not known when and where Seo and Lee got married but news reports said the ceremony probably took place in 1997.

Seo debuted in 1992 as leader of boy band Seo Taiji & Boys and their song “I Know” became a blockbuster hit, breaking new ground in the Korean music industry. After disbanding the group in 1996, Seo announced that he would not return to K-pop, but went back on his promise in 1998. Since 1998, Seo has released albums regularly while still commanding a huge fan base.

By Cho Chung-un

(christory@heraldcorp.com)