Gone are the days where celebrity watchers have to rely on paparazzi shots or official statements to keep up with their favourite stars’ personal lives. Today, K-pop and K-drama idols frequently offer glimpses into their days on social media, building an even closer relationship with their fans. Naturally, hallyu enthusiasts look forward to celebrating A-listers’ life milestones, from weddings … to new babies!
In the world of K-showbiz, 2022 has turned out to be a busy year for new parents. ICYMI, meet the Korean celebrities who became mums and dads this year, sharing the good news with their fans.
Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin
The star couple from hit drama Crash Landing on You, who are both 40, brought us happy news when they welcomed their first child, a boy, on November 27, per Son Ye-jin’s agency MSteam Entertainment. After getting married in March, Son announced the pregnancy three months later on her Instagram.
Hyun Bin was filming Harbin in Mongolia but returned to be at his wife’s side for the big day, according to his agency Vast Entertainment.
Lee Jung-hyun
Actress Lee Jung-hyun from the films Decision to Leave and Peninsula gave birth to a girl in July, per Soompi. She commented on her best friend Son’s announcement post, saying that their children are also friends born in the Year of the Tiger.
The 42-year-old actress married an orthopaedic surgeon in 2019. On the TV show Omniscient Interfering View, she revealed her secret to losing 14kg after giving birth: eating a fist-sized serving of mixed-grain rice with just vegetables and protein.
Park Shin-hye and Choi Tae-joon
Another celebrity couple, Park Shin-hye and Choi Tae-joon became parents to a baby boy this May. They got married in January after four years of dating.
She also shared a pic on her Instagram of a cute family gift that she received – Nike trainers for the whole family, including the newest member!
Park will be returning to the screen in 2023 with the medical drama Doctor Slump, which also stars Park Hyung-sik.
Jeon Hye-bin
The star of popular dramas Another Miss Oh and Revolutionary Sisters, 39-year-old actress Jeon Hye-bin welcomed a baby boy in September, three years after she married a dentist in 2019, per Allkpop.
She grabbed attention for candidly sharing her pregnancy updates on social media. Now, she also shares her little daily joys with her baby, such as going for strolls to enjoy the autumn scenery and enjoying firework festivals together.
Lee Hanee
The 39-year-old actress is another famous mum of 2022. After getting married last December, Lee Hanee had her baby boy in June. As if to remind us of her Miss Korea career, she did a pregnancy photo shoot flaunting her baby bump in Vogue Korea’s June issue.
In her interview with the magazine, she said she wanted to show that a pregnant woman can wear whatever she wants and feel sexy.
Lee has been keeping herself busy this year, returning to her profession for a Marie Claire Korea photo shoot barely two months after giving birth, and is now promoting her new film, Phantom.
Wonder Girls’ Woo Hye-rim
In February, Woo Hye-rim, who was K-pop group Wonder Girls’ lead rapper, gave birth to a baby boy after marrying taekwondo athlete Shin Min-chul in 2020 after seven years of dating.
She got a lot of love and sympathy from viewers when she openly and candidly discussed the challenges of labour and parenting on her YouTube channel Lim’s Diary.
She admitted in her video that she struggled with post-partum depression, crying every day for a week after giving birth to her first child.
TVXQ’s Changmin
Even more happy news came from the world of K-pop: TVXQ’s Changmin, who made his debut in 2004 and went solo in 2020, married a non-celebrity in the same year. He then announced the joyous news of his newborn boy through SM Entertainment in October.
He is still actively expanding his career, from taking part in SM Entertainment’s “BeYou2: The World Will Care” concert and various shows to hosting his own Naver Now radio show Max Changmin’s Freehug.
2PM’s Hwang Chan-sung
2PM’s Hwang Chan-sung was the first member of the group to become a father when his daughter was born in July. He shared his marriage and pregnancy news by posting a pic of a handwritten letter last December.
“While preparing and planning marriage with this person after my military discharge, the blessing of a new life came to us earlier than expected,” he wrote, per Soompi.
After his debut in 2PM in 2008, he is now also pursuing his career also in acting, appearing in dramas Queen for Seven Days and What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim.
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