K-pop artists HyunA and Dawn had been in a public relationship for years before they broke up. Their relationship timeline was particularly inspiring to many as they became one of the first pairs to go against the taboo of dating within the Korean entertainment industry and become candid about their feelings for each other.
Dating in the K-pop world is not easy. While fans have encouraged artists to embrace their personal lives and not feel apologetic, even in 2024, dating sometimes comes with a public apology. This shows how the artists feel pressured to handle public opinions. Amid the taboo of dating, HyunA and Dawn’s relationship was an example of two stars knowingly choosing to announce their relationship and be authentic toward their fans.
HyunA & Dawn’s relationship explored
Rapper Kim Hyo-Jong, aka Dawn, recently deleted old pictures with his former girlfriend, HyunA, which led fans to discuss how their relationship was a remarkable moment in the K-pop industry. Dawn and HyunA started out as labelmates as both were signed to Cube Entertainment to further their K-pop careers. HyunA was already a K-pop star after debuting with JYP’s girl group Wonder Girls and later joining Cube Entertainment’s girl group, 4Minute.
Besides her group activities, HyunA became a sensation overnight when she released her debut extended play, Bubble Pop!, in 2011. Her immense fame also led to more collaboration and various idol activities. Later, in 2017, she formed a unit titled Triple H with Dawn and Hui.
The beginning of Dawn and HyunA’s official relationship
After Dawn and HyunA’s activity in Triple H became more public, rumors about their relationship started making rounds online. Initially, their agency denied the rumors. However, in 2018, HyunA and Dawn acknowledged their relationship publicly.
The duo said in a statement: “While we knew that [dating publicly] would cause us to be linked in some way, both of us felt that it would be hard to meet our fans’ eyes [while performing] on stage. We wanted to honestly tell our fans and show ourselves confidently having fun performing.”
Over the years, the duo became more candid about their relationship. The couple shared that the HyunA confessed to Dawn first. During the radio program Cultwo Show, he revealed, “I was really dazed. I was a trainee, and she was such a superstar, so I thought there was no way. It took me by surprise when she said so. I thought, ‘Why in the world would she like me?'”
HyunA and Dawn Start a new chapter with P Nation
Soon after Dawn and HyunA’s relationship became public, the duo exited Cube Entertainment and started a new chapter under P Nation in 2019. In addition to their separate discographies, the couple released an album together.
They released a collaborative EP titled 1+1=1 on September 9, 2021. The four-track EP peaked at number 13 on South Korea’s Circle Album Chart. The title track, “Ping Pong,” saw the couple welcoming their uniqueness. Moreover, the official music video was a huge hit, clocking over 135 million views since its release.
Engagement
After publicly dating for over four years, Dawn surprised fans by sharing an Instagram story in which he asked, “Marry Me?” with a photo of him and HyunA wearing matching rings. The engagement news caused a social media storm as fans celebrated their engagement.
Later, Dawn shared that he did not have a specific timeline for marriage while proposing to HyunA. He said in an interview, “Since I liked her so much, I obviously had the thought of ‘If I want to get married later on, I definitely want to marry her,’ but at the time, I just wanted to give her a ring.”
The breakup
Within months of their engagement, HyunA announced their breakup. Dawn showed his support for the decision by liking HyunA’s Instagram post. While the duo did not share the reason for the breakup, Dawn opened up about it years later.
The 30-year-old star hinted in an interview that the person he “loved most” needed some time off, so they called off their relationship. He said, “At the same time, the person that I loved most said they needed some time alone, so we were apart from each other. It was a hard time in my life, but now I see that hardship was what helped me clearly determine what path I needed to follow.”
Since the breakup, HyunA has announced her official wedding news with K-pop singer Yong Junhyung. HyunA’s current agency stated, “HyunA and Yong Junhyung have been a great source of comfort to each other during difficult times. The duo have promised marriage. They will hold a wedding with close acquaintances in October and begin a new life.”
Meanwhile, Dawn is yet to comment on HyunA’s new relationship news.
