Bae Yong Joon Has Broken Up With His Chaebol Girlfriend

Bae Yong Joon has broken up with his much younger girlfriend and some say that it happened because her family did not approve. The actor who was one of the original Hallyu stars due to his roles in the dramas "Winter Sonata and "April Snow" has called it quits with his girlfriend Koo So Hee, who is 14 years younger than he is.

The couple's relationship was first made public in December 2013 when a Japanese media outlet Nikkan Sports spotted the couple dining and shopping together in Tokyo. Koo traveled to Japan with Bae to attend a friend's late November wedding. The 42-year-old actor and his agency, Key East Entertainment, had little to say about the relationship.

"Since she is not a celebrity like Bae, but someone who just lives an ordinary life, we anticipate there will be a lot of discomfort and pain if we expose the detailed circumstances of their private life," said a Key East representative when the relationship was first covered in the media.

While Koo So Hee is not a celebrity, she is an heiress. She is the second daughter of the former vice-president of LS Cable  & System and is related to the founder of the LG Corporation on her mother's side.

Rumors circulated again in May 2014 when some said the couple might marry in June. The actor denied those rumors.

The possibility of marriage could have been complicated by her family's disapproval. In July the Japanese media publication Josei Seven reported that Koo So Hee's relatives had a poor opinion of celebrities.

"Some of her relatives oppose her relationship with Bae, whom they believe is trying to use her to scale the social ladder," said the article, quoting an unnamed Korean reporter source. "Given the state of affairs, it's only natural that Koo will eventually bow to her family's wishes regarding her future marriage."

As well as being an award-winning Hallyu star, Bae Jong Yoon also has business interests. He is a majority shareholder in KeyEast Entertainment, has a business in Waikiki, Hawaii, and a western cuisine restaurant in the Gangnam neighborhood of Seoul.

The actor, producer and book author previously dated music video and commercial director Lee Sa Gang.

Koo is said to be bright as well as beautiful. She has a marketing degree from Syracuse University in New York and a master's degree in international trade from a Korean University.