As of 2025, Yoo Yeon-seok has not publicly confirmed being in a romantic relationship. Despite his immense popularity and strong on-screen chemistry with multiple co-stars, the actor has managed to keep his personal life private.
However, over the years, he has been the subject of several dating rumors, most notably involving Kim Ji-won and more recently Chae Soo-bin.
Dating Rumors Sparked With
Kim Ji-won
One of the longest-running rumors regarding Yoo Yeon-seok’s love life involves actress Kim Ji-won.
The two actors first met in 2012 while working on the horror anthology film Horror Stories, where Yoo played a serial killer and Kim portrayed a kidnapped student.
Though their roles in the film did not involve a romantic storyline, the two reportedly became close friends.
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In September 2015, the South Korean magazine Woman Sense published an article claiming that Yoo Yeon-seok and Kim Ji-won had been secretly dating for two years.
The article alleged that the pair had been spotted at gatherings together and had a close bond beyond simple friendship.
According to the report, Yoo’s parents even referred to Kim Ji-won as their son’s girlfriend, indicating that the relationship might have been serious.
However, the actors’ agency at the time, King Kong Entertainment, quickly denied the rumors, stating that Yoo and Kim were just close friends.
Despite this, speculation continued, especially after they were seen dining together in March 2016 at a lamb skewer restaurant in Cheongdam, Gangnam.
According to eyewitness accounts, they fed each other and displayed affectionate gestures during the meal, which fueled speculation about a romantic relationship.
It was also reported that after dinner, Yoo personally drove Kim home, a move that many fans interpreted as a sign of their closeness.
Despite these reports, their agency once again dismissed the claims, emphasizing that it was a casual outing between friends.
Even after the public denial, rumors about their relationship persisted for several years, particularly when fans noticed subtle interactions between them at industry events.
By 2019, new rumors suggested that Yoo and Kim had ended their alleged relationship. Around the same time, Kim Ji-won was rumored to be dating her “Fight for My Way” co-star Park Seo-joon, which led some to believe that she and Yoo had parted ways.
However, neither Yoo nor Kim ever confirmed that they had been in a relationship in the first place.
Interestingly, in 2022, netizens claimed to have spotted Yoo Yeon-seok and Kim Ji-won together in public, sparking speculation that they had rekindled their romance. However, without any concrete evidence, these claims remained just rumors.
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Chae Soo-bin
More recently, Yoo Yeon-seok was linked to actress Chae Soo-bin, his co-star in the 2023-2024 drama “When the Phone Rings”.
The two played the lead roles in the mystery romance drama, and their on-screen chemistry was highly praised by fans and critics alike.
Following the show’s conclusion in January 2024, rumors began circulating that Yoo and Chae had developed romantic feelings off-screen.
Fans pointed to their natural interactions during press interviews and behind-the-scenes footage, where they appeared to be genuinely comfortable around each other.
During promotional interviews, reporters even asked Yoo Yeon-seok directly about the dating speculation. He responded with a laugh, saying:
“I am grateful that people love our chemistry, but it’s all thanks to our teamwork and acting. As for personal relationships, that is something I cannot decide alone.”
His careful wording led some fans to believe that he was neither confirming nor denying the possibility of a real-life romance with Chae Soo-bin.
Despite the growing speculation, neither Yoo nor Chae have made any official statements confirming a relationship.
Some industry insiders believe that their close friendship was mistaken for something more, as is often the case with actors who share strong chemistry on screen.
Yoo Yeon-seok’s View on Love and Relationships
Although Yoo Yeon-seok has never publicly confirmed a girlfriend, he has spoken about his thoughts on dating and marriage in past interviews.
In a 2018 interview, he admitted that he enjoys dating in private and would prefer to keep his relationships out of the public eye.
He also shared that his ideal type is someone who is kind, intelligent, and has a warm personality.
In another interview in 2021, when asked about marriage, Yoo stated:
“I do want to get married someday, but I don’t feel rushed. I believe that love comes naturally when the time is right.”
His perspective suggests that while he is open to love, he is also careful about making his private life public.
