Lee Kang-in and Lee Na-eun went on a date at home, but it's hard to admit them as girlfriends

Did they say that sneezing and love cannot be hidden? No matter how hard you keep your mouth shut to hide your tickling voice or how stiff you try to suppress your affectionate gestures, you cannot hide the look in your eyes filled with love. If you like someone, it will be obvious even if you try to hide it, and if you love someone, your emotions will come out first. It is human instinct.

But they don't admit it. However, he didn't hide it either. Is this the MZ style?

The first dating rumor that opened in 2024 is soccer star Lee Kang-in and April Lee Na-eun. On the morning of the 2nd, several photos of the two people together were leaked according to a media report. Lee Kang-in and Lee Na-eun met secretly last November.

Lee Kang-in arrived from France for the national team match for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asia 2nd qualifying round. Although I had high-intensity training and a tight schedule, I met Lee Na-eun before and after the game.

Lee Kang-in, who has already become a world-class soccer star, and Lee Na-eun, who has been branded as the instigator of the bullying controversy within the team, chose their home and underground parking lot to avoid people's eyes. The meeting between the two took place mainly in the underground parking lot of the Yeouido Hotel, where the players' accommodations are located, and in the area of the apartment complex in Guri-si, Gyeonggi-do, which is Lee Na-eun's home.

Lee Kang-in, who was very busy and had little time in Korea, was devoted to his 2-year-old older sister Lee Na-eun. Every time, I came to Lee Kang-in's place in advance, waited, parked my car in a quiet place, and waited. He willingly gave up his home for a quiet meeting.

Nevertheless, they did not acknowledge their relationship as lovers. In particular, Lee Kang-in's side responded firmly, saying he had nothing to say. Lee Na-eun said that they were acquaintances, but explained various things. He explained that he had met several times simply to receive 'game tickets'. Usually, invitation tickets are exchanged on the day of the game by telling the inviter's name at the ticket booth in front of the stadium. It has been difficult to see game invitation tickets being passed from hand to hand for more than 20 years.

Lee Kang-in's side does not respond, and Lee Na-eun's side explains but is incoherent. Several circumstances point to a romantic relationship between Lee Kang-in and Lee Na-eun, but it is difficult to admit it easily. Because there is a big difference between dating and dating rumors.

In particular, this dating rumor is a more sensitive topic for Lee Na-eun than Lee Kang-in. In 2021, Lee Na-eun was at the center of the bullying controversy that arose within April. At that time, Mr. A, believed to be the younger brother of former April member Lee Hyun-joo, exposed bullying within the team, and Kim Chae-won, Lee Na-eun, Ang Yena, Lee Jin-sol, and former member (currently KARD) Jeon So-min were pointed out as perpetrators of bullying. The battle between Lee Hyun-joo and April members continued. DSP, April's agency, said it would sue Hyunjoo Lee. However, the police decided not to forward all seven complaints. Ultimately, April was officially disbanded in January 2022.

Lee Na-eun is set to return three years after the April bullying controversy. Another privacy issue has arisen ahead of the appearance of SBS' new Friday-Saturday drama 'Chaebol The situation of Lee Na-eun, who has become more controversial as a side issue than her main job, is also complicated.

It's not that I don't understand Lee Kang-in's position as he can't say exactly what kind of relationship he has with Lee Na-eun. Because being suspected of dating and becoming an official couple are two very different things.

Whether it's just an acquaintance or a lover, when evidence starts to flow out one by one, it grows out of control. Repeated coincidences are sometimes suspected of being fate. So far, only seeds of doubt have been sown.

Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr