I envy those who haven’t yet watched “Reply 1988” from the “Reply” franchise. The series, released in 2016, garnered critical acclaim with the highest approval by viewers and stands as one of the top-rated K-Dramas of all time.
The story revolves around a small neighborhood, staging back to the late 80s. It navigates the lives of four families, with five friends being at the focal. The series is a reminiscence of how far Korea has come with economic and cultural progress.
The heartwarming story is a reflection of middle-class families throughout the world. Writers take you through very ordinary lives, throw you into their sadness, and then pick you back up with a ray of hope.
If you want to experience a roller-coaster of emotions, stream Reply 1988 on Netflix… it’s just the right amount of warm hug you will need for the day.
Among the five friends, viewers were rooting for one friendship-to-lover storyline. But no K-Drama is complete without a love triangle. Fans were split between whom to choose in the Jung Hwan – Deok Sun – Choi Taek ships. While the ending reveals who our main female lead ends up with, we are still left with a bittersweet feeling that the other guy couldn’t get his girl.
But then…. guess what!!!
The fans were ecstatic again when it was revealed that Jung Hwan, played by actor Ryu Joon Yeol, and Deok Sun, played by K-pop group Girl’s Day’s Hyeri, were actually dating in real life right after the series ended.
But sometimes, it’s inevitable that good things will come to an end.
Ryu Joon Yeol and Girl’s Day Hyeri, who announced their relationship in 2017, broke up on November 13, 2023, after seven years of dating. Their respective agencies have confirmed that the couple has ended their relationship. However, none of the parties have mentioned the reason for their sudden breakup.
All About Girl’s Day Hyeri & Ryu Joon Yeol Broke Up
The year was 2017 when the K-Drama world was overjoyed when the two favorite characters from Reply 1988 announced that they were dating.
Ryu Joon Yeol, who plays Jung Hwan, is considered one of the serious actors of this era. His roles in The Taxi Driver, Little Forest, Money, The King, and more have garnered him critical acclaim, and he is one of the most sought-after actors among top directors.
On the other, Girl’s Day was one of the most popular second-generation girl groups. “Something” is still a popular song among the current generation.
But Hyeri was no ordinary K-pop idol– she was funny, quirky, and did not care much about public impression. This caught the director’s eye, finding someone eccentric to play the jovially naive character of Deok Sun in Reply 1988.
Together, the two complimented each other perfectly, which was even evident during the behind-the-scenes of Reply 1988.
The Reason Why Girl’s Day Hyeri & Ryu Joon Yeol Broke Up
Now, sorrow looms upon the K-Drama world as the couple has officially announced their break up. Ryu’s agency, C-JeS Studios, and Hyeri’s label, Creative Group ING, have both confirmed the news: “It is true that they broke up.”
However, neither of them has revealed the reason for their break up; instead, they stated that they shall continue to be friends and maintain professional relations as actors.
However, netizens have speculated that the couple were facing communication troubles a few months back.
During one of the talk shows, a bunch of female idols, including G-IDLE’s Miyeon, LESSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon, Lee Jung, and Girl’s Day Hyeri, were discussing how many messages they would receive in a day.
While the rest of the cast mentioned high numbers of around 150, Hyeri’s revelation shocked everyone when she said that there would be days when she wouldn’t even receive a single message for days.
Netizens thought that the couple might be facing troubles in their relationship. However, these are just speculations.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the couple was on the verge of a breakup long before? Let us know in the comments section below.
1 Comment
It was stated in one article that both of them got busy with their careers. Come to think of it, I also felt like something’s up. It’s like while they keep their relationship private, I don’t sense anything going on between the two with the content of their posts. It’s like they’re totally living different lives who are apart for quite some time now.