Speculation arises about YG’s motives in confirming Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun’s dating status.
On August 3, BLACKPINK Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun officially announced dating. According to Dispatch, the actress went on dates with the male star at her house in Yongsan, Seoul. YG Entertainment quickly confirmed the news later.
While many netizens are happy for the couple, others believe the dating news has something to do with Jisoo’s contract status, partly stemming from YG’s response to the situation.
Stars’ relationships exposed amidst their departure from former companies
BLACKPINK members’ contract status has been the talk of the town as the deadline for contract renewal is approaching.
When Dispatch exposed Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun’s relationship out of the blue, many netizens were reminded of other cases of idols and stars who were exposed of dating around the time they announced their departure from former management companies. Such cases are Han Ye Seul, Lee Seung Gi, and MAMAMOO Hwasa.
In 2021, Han Ye Seul announced her departure from her previous company and revealed her dating status. Nonetheless, both the actress and her boyfriend were embroiled in prostitution accusations. The actress was also embroiled in rumors about her connections to the notorious “Burning Sun” cases.
In the same year, Lee Seung Gi’s relationship with Lee Da In came out when he was about to leave Hook Entertainment after 17 years. It was only recently that the actor officially moved on from the company after the “slave contract” scandal.
Of late, MAMAMOO Hwasa was also exposed of dating a business 12 years older than her at the time the singer’s contract with RBW expired.
Sports World claimed that a company only protects its artists’ personal lives because it is the company’s responsibility. Nonetheless, Sports World added, when the artists’ contracts expire, a company could use their personal lives to pressure them into renewing their contracts.
With those previous cases in mind, the public speculates Jisoo may be leaving YG Entertainment; hence, the company is not obliged to keep her personal life a secret from the public.
YG Entertainment’s unusually fast response – a “tradition” broken?
Usually, it is almost a formula that YG will not confirm any news on grounds of non-interference in an artist’s personal life. This has been the case for Taeyang and Min Hyo Rin, Jennie and G-Dragon, and Rosé and Kang Dong Won. Most recently, the company remains silent in the face of circulating rumors and mounting speculations about Jennie and V’s relationship.
When YG actively confirmed the rumors about Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun’s dating, netizens were surprised to see YG break its own “tradition.”
At the same time, many netizens postulate, because Jisoo is leaving YG, the company is no longer responsible for protecting her personal life. Others believe this is YG’s way to pressure Jisoo into staying with the company.
However, everything remains speculation until August 8 when the BLACKPINK girls made their final decisions.
