Lee Yeon, Dating Rumors with IU? "We're Enjoying It"... A Cool Response from a Close Friend [Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview with Lee Yeon on the film 'Gyeongju Journey'

Actress Lee Yeon (Jung Yi-yeon, 31) responded coolly to fake news circulating on overseas social media platforms, including rumors of a romantic relationship with IU and claims that she went on a date with her.

On the morning of the 19th, Lee Yeon held an interview for the film 'Gyeongju Journey' (directed by Kim Mi-jo) at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, sharing various insights about the movie.

'Gyeongju Journey' is a family revenge drama about four women who embark on a journey that ends in death after eight years of waiting for their youngest daughter, 'Gyeongju,' who never returned from a school trip. Lee Yeon plays Dong-joo, the youngest of three sisters who lost their younger sister Gyeongju in the film.

Recently, posts surfaced on overseas social media and domestic blogs claiming that IU and Lee Yeon were spotted dating in Seochon, sparking rumors of a romantic relationship, which their agencies officially denied.

In response, Lee Yeon said, "I saw those posts too. From my perspective, since Senior Ji-eun has so many fans overseas, the sightings might have been misinterpreted as dates abroad rather than in Korea. I also saw that post." She continued, "At that time, I was supposed to meet Senior Ji-eun and actress Yoo Soobin for a meal. Since Yoo Soobin hadn't arrived yet, Senior Ji-eun and I went ahead to have coffee at Camel Coffee in Seochon before heading to the restaurant. Someone happened to capture our backs from behind. We didn't know who it was, but we were aware someone was taking photos. It seems those images ended up on overseas sites and X (formerly Twitter) as 'IU'." She laughed while recounting this.

Lee Yeon added, "The story that our agency issued a denial is not true from our side. Fake news—dating? That's absurd. No, the dating part is actually correct. Isn't it just friends going on a date?" She further explained, "I even discussed this with Senior Ji-eun. She told me, 'It seems like people are spreading rumors about us dating.' We also did a photoshoot together, and since our chemistry looked great, fans jokingly created posts linking us."

Lee Yeon continued, "When I told Senior Ji-eun about this, she replied, 'From my perspective, it's because of you,' so I just laughed it off. However, a fan of Senior Ji-eun came to the premiere of another independent film of mine and whispered in my ear, 'Are you dating Senior Ji-eun?' Again, I just smiled and let it go." She concluded coolly with a laugh, "We're enjoying this. Since we're that close, we're having fun. It's good. Everyone seems to think our chemistry is appealing, so we're embracing it. We didn't plan any of this."

Meanwhile, 'Gyeongju Journey' is scheduled for release on August 26.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.