Recently, an image presumed to be a family photo of Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin began circulating online, attracting significant attention. The photo, shared by an overseas fan on social media, appeared to show the couple holding a child—leading many to believe it was a rare glimpse into their private family life.
The image, accompanied by the caption “A beautiful moment of Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin with their baby,” initially touched fans around the world.
Given the immense popularity of the Crash Landing on You couple both in Korea and abroad (especially Japan), the image quickly went viral. However, it was soon revealed that the photo was not real, but rather AI-generated and manipulated.
The photo reportedly originated from an internet user in India who shared it on their personal SNS account. In fact, the account contained multiple AI-generated images—not just one—many of which were clearly artificial. Yet, one particular image appeared realistic enough to fool international fans and spread rapidly.
Upon closer inspection, even the most realistic photo showed telltale signs of manipulation. For instance, Hyun Bin’s arm was awkwardly missing, and the positioning of his hand holding Son Ye-jin appeared unnatural. Controversy also arose because the child in the image appeared much younger than expected, despite the fact that the couple’s real son was born in 2022 and is already approaching age three.
On July 5, a representative from Hyun Bin’s agency clarified the situation in a statement to OSEN:
“The circulating image claimed to be a family photo is a fake, created using AI. There’s no need for an official statement beyond that. However, to prevent confusion, the agency is actively taking steps to have the fake images removed through the proper legal channels.”
A representative from Son Ye-jin’s agency also commented:
“As you know, Son Ye-jin has never shared a photo of her child. Nonetheless, due to the strong affection fans have for her and her family, AI-generated images of their supposed child have surfaced ever since their wedding announcement.
For overseas accounts, we can report or request removals, but suspending accounts is often difficult. Still, since these actions are not malicious, we try to respond by notifying fans through the official homepage or accounts that these are not real images.”
Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin rose to fame as a couple after co-starring in tvN’s Crash Landing on You, which concluded in 2020. The real-life romance that followed earned massive support from global Hallyu drama fans. Thanks to its release on Netflix, Crash Landing on You became a massive hit in Japan, remaining in the country’s Netflix Top 10 series chart for 72 consecutive weeks.
The couple married in 2022 and welcomed a healthy baby boy later that year. While Son Ye-jin is known for actively engaging with fans—even creating a private sub-account on Instagram—she has never revealed her son’s face. Hyun Bin, during an appearance on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block, commented that their son “looks more like his mom.”