Idol-Turned-Actress With “Problematic” Fiancé Considers K-Drama Comeback, Dividing Opinions
On January 8, 2026 (KST), EXID member Hani‘s management agency, SUBLIME, told the Korean press outlet OSEN that the idol-turned-actress is considering a K-Drama comeback after a three-year hiatus from the screen.
According to SUBLIME, Hani is “currently reviewing an offer to appear in KBS’s new weekend K-Drama, Love Is Coming.” If she accepts, Hani would take on the role of Han Gyu Rim, the female lead for the series, which would mark her return after about three years since her last K-Drama, Call It Love on Disney+.
The news, however, has received split reactions from K-Pop and K-Drama fans online. While most rooted for the idol actress’s successful return, some continued to associate her with her “problematic” fiancé, Yang Jae Woong.
Hani had halted her activities after her psychiatrist fiancé, Yang Jae Woong, was embroiled in a medical malpractice controversy in 2024. When it was revealed that a patient died at a hospital owned by her fiancé, she postponed the wedding that was originally scheduled for September of the same year. Since then, Hani remained relatively low-key, sticking to EXID group activities and sharing sporadic updates via social media of her endeavors as a yoga instructor.
So her signaling a fresh start has inevitably drawn attention.
- “She didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t know if she broke up with him or not, but she did call off the wedding after the controversy.”
- “Leave her alone. What did she do wrong?”
- “She was building up her acting career until the scandal. It sounds like she’s looking at a role for a weekend K-Drama, which I think she definitely can pull off.”
- “I don’t get why Hani’s getting heat for this. It wasn’t her controversy. She’s fine to resume activities.”
- “She didn’t do anything wrong, so why are we associating the controversy with her?”
- “I mean, we have some celebrities whose family members are literally incarcerated and they have never stepped a second out of the spotlight. So what’s wrong with Hani returning?”
- “What did Hani do wrong?”
- “It wasn’t Hani’s scandal to begin with… Like what did she do?”
- “I wonder if she broke up with him though.”
- “What did Hani ever do?”
- “But if she hasn’t dumped him yet, it cannot be helped that she keeps getting associated with his scandal.”
- “Hani didn’t do anything wrong… but I do think she should break up with the guy.”
- “Yeah, I don’t think people are telling her to never return. I think people are simply saying she needs to deal with the gossip if she’s going to keep dating him.”
- “Oh, it’s scriptwriter Lee Kyung Hee‘s new work?!”
- “This just isn’t fair to Hani, though. She had to stay low-key for three years when other problematic male stars stayed active just fine.”
- “So what happened to the fiancé? Are they still together?”
- “She seemed mentally unstable and vulnerable. I feel like it would be better off for her to break up with him…”
- “It’s not like she was completely off the grid for the past three years. She hasn’t been in a K-Drama for three years, to be exact.”
- “She’s fine as long as she broke up with him.”
- “Wait, so she’s still dating the guy?”
- “But they never got married, so how is any of this Hani’s fault?”
Love Is Coming is scheduled to air in August. Will we get to see Hani in it? Stay tuned for updates.
- “Oh… So she is still dating the guy?”
- “I mean, Lee Seung Gi didn’t do anything wrong either, if we’re being technical.”
- “Whoa, scriptwriter Lee Kyung Hee is coming back?”
- “If something like that happened and she still didn’t break up with him… I end up thinking birds of a feather flock together, so I don’t see Hani in a good light either. I’m also not fond of women who ruin their own lives by being with the wrong man and not being able to leave… Not cases where they were deceived, but when they know the man is at fault and still stay? In the end, I think she’s probably on a similar moral level as him.
I’d say the same if the genders were reversed. Like, this applies to [Lee Seung Gi] who keeps getting mentioned in the comments above too.”- “I agree 100%.”
- “It’s just that the public would find it uncomfortable to watch her. But since they’re not even married, I guess demanding her to step down does feel kind of excessive.”
- “Oh, I thought they broke up when everything blew up back then… turns out they just postponed the wedding?”
- “If it’s a KBS weekend K-Drama and a Lee Kyung Hee script, that’s actually a really good spot to land for a comeback…”
- “All I see is birds of a feather.”
As for Yang Jae Woong, he and 12 other medical staff have been referred to prosecutors on charges including violations of the Medical Service Act, with five of them already indicted. The hospital has also been ordered to suspend operations for three months and is in the process of shutting down.
Read more about him here:
