Actor Namkoong Min opened up about how he and model Jin Areum, currently his wife, started dating.
On the September 2 episode of the YouTube show 'Zzan Bro', Namkoong Min and actor Lee Si Eon guested.
During the show, Namkoong Min talked about how he and Jin Areum started dating.
"I was supposed to go to China for a film, but the filming had to be postponed for two months because the leading actress got injured.", the actor recalled.
"I thought about how to fill the two-month gap and decided to make a movie based on a scenario I had been working on. I hired staff and funded the production myself."
"There was a female character in the scenario who had no lines. I vaguely pictured the character as someone with a model-like appearance.", Namkoong Min said, noting that the role went to Jin Areum.
Namkoong Min shared that he was intrigued by Jin Areum but could not get himself to initiate a conversation with her on set.
"If I talked to her while filming, everyone would know I had feelings for her. So, I got Jin Areum's number with the help of my friend during our team's gathering. She was utterly surprised when I reached out to her, as I hadn't given any signals during the filming."
The actor reflected on his dating style before getting into how it went with Jin Areum.
"I have no dating skills; when my attempts failed, it was because I was too upfront. Everything goes well when I keep my mouth shut and wait. But I can't help but express my feelings. I have to say, 'I like you'."
"Some of the girls in my earlier dating life said their feelings about me were gone after I kept telling them I liked them.", he remarked.
Namkoong Min said he had made the same mistake with his attempts with Jin Areum: "I told her repeatedly that I liked her, but she turned me down. We could have started dating earlier if I had stayed still."
"Then, it came time for me to go to China for filming. A day before my departure, I contacted her. I expressed that I wanted to meet her and ask something one last time. However, she rejected me again."
He resumed, "I'm the type who keeps trying until there are no regrets and accepts without clinging if it doesn't work out. So I was like, 'Fine. Now I'll head to China and focus on filming.'."
"Right after I went through the immigration counter, I got a lengthy text message from Jin Areum. She said she was bewildered because I was too forward. We started dating after I returned from China.", the actor concluded.
Meanwhile, Namkoong Min and Jin Areum tied the knot in October 2022 after dating for seven years.
(Credit= '짠한형 신동엽' YouTube, 'jin_areum' Instagram)