Regarded as a top 3rd gen K-pop girl group, yet TWICE’s popularity has suffered – likely due to constant dating news.
On the evening of March 24, Korean media outlets unexpectedly reported that Jihyo, the leader of TWICE, is dating “Korean Iron Man” Yoon Sung-bin. Though both agencies claimed that they cannot confirm the news due to it being the artists’ private life, this immediately stirred up the K-pop fans.
So far, within just a month, the Korean showbiz has had 3 explosive dating news, causing a whirlwind of excitement among the public.
Looking back at Jihyo’s romantic relationships, many fans were surprised to learn that she is currently dating Yoon Sung-bin. Abandoning her youthful image, Jihyo is now pursuing a seductive image with a sexy body. Compared to Yoon Sung-bin, fans are impressed by the visual harmony between the two stars. However, many K-pop fans also reacted negatively to Jihyo’s dating news twice.
Before Yoon Sung-bin, Jihyo confirmed her relationship with Kang Daniel – the “national center” who emerged from hit survival show “Produce 101 Season 2” in 2019. The couple’s relationship lasted nearly 2 years, but it was reported that Kang Daniel and Jihyo broke up in November 2020.
When news of Jihyo dating Kang Daniel broke out, TWICE was at the peak of their careers. But after a few comebacks, the group lost its momentum, experiencing a decline from the “More & More” era (2020).
Explaining TWICE’s decline, Jihyo’s dating is one of the most frequently cited reasons. For a girl group like TWICE with a youthful image, dating news is taboo. TWICE lost a large number of fanboys after this period. Some antis even put the entire blame on the group’s leader, despite other TWICE members also getting entangled in dating rumors.
TWICE is still maintaining active promotions by making comebacks from 1 to 2 times a year and touring globally. However, their popularity is no longer what it used to be. From a top girl group of gen 3, TWICE is facing a crisis of achievement as their music releases fail to attract attention and no longer make it on Korean charts.
In August 2023, Jihyo made her official solo debut with the mini-album “Zone” and the title track “Killin’ Me Good”. However, unlike the successful solo debut of fellow TWICE’s member Nayeon, Jihyo’s solo album did not have an explosive effect, and her title track “Killin’ Me Good” was “drowned out” amidst various comebacks of junior groups.
It can be seen that TWICE’s career has been suffering from a decline, especially as newer competitors are grabbing the public’s attention. Therefore, even though TWICE has been active for 10 years, when Jihyo’s dating news surfaced again, the female idol still faced controversial opinions. At the same time, many people are defending Jihyo against these unreasonable criticisms.
Source: K14
