The year 2020 was a defining era in K-Pop history. Idols broke the barricades of traditional conduct in Korean celebrity culture and boldly flaunted their personal lives.
Even the K-Netizens’ attitude towards the parasocial dynamics has changed drastically as opposed to the first and second-generation K-pop era.
To give a brief context: K-pop idols were debarred from the fandom if they were seen even breathing next to another person. Healthy relationships between two people are called scandals if they are idols. This was particularly difficult for male idols as the female fandom was more aggressive and invested in the “delulu” relationships.
On the other hand, the male fans would get extremely possessive of the female idols, displaying creepy behavior. Most idols would hide their relationships for fear of losing their popularity.
But the tides have been observed shifting to a more positive side, as netizens (majority) have been accepting of the idol relationships.
EXO Chen’s announcement of being in a relationship with a non-celebrity stirred an online discourse about how the K-pop fandom is evolving from possessive to progressive. However, there’s a long way to go since some EXO-Ls (EXO’s fandom) protested outside SM Entertainment agency, demanding the removal of Chen from the band. However, the majority of the fans scoffed at this benign protest and continued to support Chen.
On October 22, 2023, Chen and his long-time partner tied the knot in an exclusive ceremony. The wedding photographs revealed EXO’s Chen’s partner, three years after announcing his relationship and expecting a child. The lovely pictures have flooded all social media platforms and other forums, showing the lovely couple and EXO members gathering together for their brother’s big day.
K-Pop Star EXO Chen’s Lovely Wedding Pictures Go Viral Revealing His Wife For The First Time In 3 Years
The beautiful wedding venue was like a palace for the prince and his princess. The vibrant smiles of the happy couple were a testament to their happy relationship, with the support of a legion of loyal fans.
And finally, the fans got a glimpse of Chen’s beautiful bride, Mihee, a non-celebrity and the mother of Chen’s two children.
EXO-Ls’ Heartwarming Wishes For Chen and His Wife
EXO Celebrates Chen’s Wedding
All current members of EXO attended the wedding and were also seen cheering for their brother. They were also seen having a blast, in EXO style of chaotic energy.
The wedding also played the EXO song.
TVXQ, another second-generation K-Pop group from SM Entertainment, was seen at the wedding. Fans rejoiced at their adorable friendship.
Some EXO-Ls Slammed Chen For Singing A Song Dedicated to Fans For His Wife
EXO released a song in 2013 dedicated to the fans to show their gratitude for supporting them after their debut. The song “Don’t Go” is close to EXO-L’s hearts, with a sentimental context behind it.
However, when Chen sang this song for his wife during the reception celebration, some fans raised objections to use their song for personal intentions.
On the contrary, more sensible EXO-Ls ignored the backlash and came in Chen’s defense on how enamoring his performance was.
What are your thoughts on Chen’s wedding? Do you think the backlash against Chen is warranted? Let us know in the comments section below.
