Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin / Xportsnews
A longtime mentor to top Korean celebrities revealed he knew about Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin’s relationship long before it became public — and even lied to his own wife to keep it a secret.
The story emerged on the Sunday episode of TV Chosun’s “Huh Young Man’s Food Travel,” where renowned golf instructor Lim Jin-han appeared as a guest.
Lim, often dubbed a “golf master” in Korea, said he first built a connection with Son through a recommendation from an agency executive and began giving her lessons that continued for years.
Son Ye-jin / Captured from TV Chosun
“She once came straight from filming in jeans and slippers, and we practiced for about an hour,” he said. “After that, I kept teaching her, and we’ve stayed connected ever since.”
Through Son, Hyun Bin also became his student. Lim said the two actors would often take lessons together and even play rounds of golf with him, which is how he realized early on that they were dating.
“One day, she said, ‘Please teach Bin as well,’ so they both started learning together, and we went out to the field often,” he said.
Lim Jin-han / Captured from TV Chosun
Despite knowing about their relationship, Lim said he kept it strictly confidential — even at home.
“When my wife asked me, ‘Are Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin getting married?’ I told her, ‘What are you talking about?’” he said with a laugh. “Twenty days later, they announced their marriage, and my wife called me a traitor.”
Lim also shared his impressions of the couple’s relationship, describing them as highly compatible.
“They match very well. Son Ye-jin has a more easygoing, almost boyish personality, while Hyun Bin is more quiet,” he said.
He added that their way of addressing each other also changed after marriage.
Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin / Xportsnews
“When they were dating, they called each other ‘Bin’ and ‘Ye-jin,’ but after getting married, it seems like they say ‘honey’ or ‘dear,’” he said.
Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin first met while filming the 2018 movie “The Negotiation” and later reunited in the hit tvN drama “Crash Landing on You” in 2019, which fueled multiple dating rumors.
They confirmed their relationship in 2021 and married in March 2022. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in December that year.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.