Shim Hyung-tak, the reason he fell in love with a Japanese woman

Actor Shim Hyung-tak revealed his Japanese bride-to-be, and her idol-like beauty is garnering attention. At the same time, as the age difference of 18 years younger is attracting attention, stars who married Japanese are also attracting attention because they have a common age difference of more than 10 years.

Actor Shim Hyung-tak will tie the knot with Hiari Saya in July after four years of dating. Shim Hyung-tak, known as a 'Doraemon fanatic', is known to have met his future bride, who was the on-site general manager of a large local toy company, while going to Japan to film a broadcast.

In TV Chosun's 'Joseon's Lover', which aired on the 3rd, Saya's face, which had been hidden behind a veil, was revealed. Saya, who is 18 years younger than Shim Hyung-tak, caught everyone's attention with her beauty that made you believe she was an idol. Accordingly, in online communities, it is said that he resembles BTS's Jungkook and Kepler's Kang Ye-seo.

Shim Hyung-tak and Saya's love story was also revealed. Shim Hyeong-tak said, “At our first meeting, I introduced myself as ‘I am a handsome Korean actor,’” and revealed that he traveled back and forth to Japan with the intention of getting married. Even though the two did not understand each other's language, they continued to meet by using a translator. Saya, who eventually accepted his courtship, was surprised to hear that she chose to go to Korea after leaving the company.

As news of Shim Hyung-taek's marriage became known, stars who started families with Japanese women, such as Jeong Jun-ha, Lee Ji-hoon, and Kim Jung-min, also came into the spotlight.

Broadcaster Jeong Jun-ha is married to a Korean-Japanese Japanese woman 10 years younger than him, and they have a son, Roha. Jeong Jun-ha started dating his wife, who was a flight attendant, in 2009, and after about three years of dating, they became married in 2012. Jeong Jun-ha has always shown his affection for his wife, calling her by her nickname ‘Nemo.’ Recently, he said on a variety show and radio that he was planning a second child, "I need to have a daughter for my second child. My wife gave up on her dream, so I have to convince her."

Singer and actor Kim Jung-min married his wife Rumiko, a Japanese woman 11 years younger than him, in 2006. Kim Jung-min's wife, Rumiko Tani, is a member of the Japanese girl group Morning Goose, and began living in Korea after marriage. It is known that the two met through the arrangement of singer Park Hye-kyung. Kim Jung-min revealed that he fell in love with Rumiko quickly after being struck by her simple-mindedness, as she appeared wearing a high-necked T-shirt and holding a green onion she had purchased.

The couple has three children and appeared on SBS's 'Oh!' in 2014. While appearing on 'My Baby', he also revealed his three sons. Rumiko, who recently appeared on 'Perfect Life', confessed, "I suffered from depression during COVID-19 and received hospital treatment for two years. It was because I was too attached to my family and did not have time for myself."

Singer and actor Lee Ji-hoon also entered into a relationship with Ayane Miura, a Japanese woman 14 years younger than her, in 2021. They appeared on the SBS entertainment show 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2 - You Are My Destiny' (hereinafter referred to as 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2') and revealed their newlywed life as a large family of 18 people living together in a villa.

In this way, the number of international couples who have started a family based on mutual affection and trust despite an age difference of more than 10 years is increasing. In Korea, congratulations and support are pouring in on those who live happy lives with husbands who provide strong support and wives who devote themselves to domestic support.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr