South Korean Actors Park Shin-Hye And Choi Tae-Joon Are Dating, Agencies Confirm

South Korean actors Park Shin-hye and Choi Tae-joon are once again reported to be dating after debunking similar rumors last year, Choi's agency said Tuesday.

The agency, Huayi Brothers, said the pair, who went to the same acting department of Joongang University in Seoul, reportedly developed a romantic relationship near the end of last year. Rumors also spread last year that the two were dating, but the two stars denied them at the time.

Sources from the industry said Park and Choi usually enjoy quiet dates at Park’s apartment in Chungdam-dong or hang out with their common friends in the neighborhood. Choi’s friends were reportedly aware that the two were dating.

Park’s agency S.A.L.T Entertainment first denied the dating reports, saying, "It's not true that Park Shin Hye and Choi Tae Joon are dating. They are just close friends."

Huayi Brothers had said earlier they were checking with the actor. "We've learned about the dating rumors with Park Shin Hye. We are looking into it," a source from the agency said earlier on Tuesday.

Later, Park’s label confirmed the news to Allkpop, saying "Park Shin-hye and Choi Tae-joon have been close friends, but started seeing each other near the end of last year. They give strength to each other. Please look fondly on the couple who've started to date recently."

Choi's agency also put a rest to the speculations, saying, "We checked on the dating rumors, and they've been dating since the end of last year."

Park, 28, debuted in 2003 and came to the spotlight after appearing in a series of hit Korean dramas such as "The Hairs," "Pinocchio" and "Doctors." Park was also a part of numerous films, most notably in "Heart Blackened" in 2017.

Choi, 27, made his debut in a music video in 2001 and also starred in famous Korean dramas as "The Flower in Prison," "Missing Nine" and "Suspicious Partner."

South Korean magazine Dispatch released photos of the two together on Tuesday, where the pair was spotted at a restaurant owned by Park’s parents in Seoul’s Gangdong-gu in August last year.

This was not the first time the couple were hit with dating rumors. In May 2017, fans speculated that the two were more than just friends. The rumors emerged as reports surfaced of the two being spotted going on a vacation together with their friends in April 2017 and then visited a national park in May. The stars had denied the rumors at the time.