Yang Jung-a liked Kim Seung-soo, but explains why she refused: "I've been through it once before"

Actress Yang Jung-a has once again drawn a line regarding her relationship with her close friend of over 20 years, Kim Seung-soo. Although the two once created an atmosphere no less than a romantic couple on broadcast, leading to discussions about the possibility of them being an actual couple, for Yang Jung-a, Kim Seung-soo was ultimately a friend she wanted to keep by her side for a long time, rather than a 'boyfriend.'

On the July 6 broadcast of KBS 1TV 'Let's Live Together with Hwang Shin-hye', Hwang Shin-hye, Shin Gye Suk, and Yang Jung-a talked about marriage and dating with the residents of Pocheon. The residents asked the three women, who are living as singles, if they had any thoughts on marriage, and naturally, the names of Yang Jung-a and Kim Seung-soo surfaced.

One resident asked, "I thought Kim Seung-soo was so great, so I was curious why you didn't [date him]," and another resident also expressed regret over their relationship, saying, "They looked good together when they appeared on that program." It was as if the village residents were voicing the curiosity of viewers who had watched the two on broadcast.

Yang Jung-a's answer was firm. After drawing a line by saying, "That friend is just a friend," she revealed, "I've been through it once before. So, I don't have the thought of meeting a man and getting married again yet." This part revealed her inner feelings that, having experienced marriage and divorce once, she cannot help but be cautious about making the choice of marriage again.

However, she did not completely close off the possibility of a new connection. When it was mentioned that there are many single men in Pocheon, Yang Jung-a listened intently and showed interest, causing laughter from those around her. While she does not yet have the heart for remarriage, her appearance was not as if she was rejecting connections themselves, leaving a subtle lingering impression.

The reason the relationship between Yang Jung-a and Kim Seung-soo drew particular attention is that their connection is so long-standing. Being the same age with the same birth date of July 25, 1971, the two have continued their friendship for over 20 years while working together on various works. Then, the atmosphere changed when they appeared together on the 2024 SBS 'My Little Old Boy'. As they were shown enjoying a birthday date and naturally sharing skinship, expectations even arose that "perhaps they are actually dating."

In the end, Kim Seung-soo moved first. In the December 2024 broadcast, Kim Seung-soo confessed his feelings to Yang Jung-a, saying, "I want to meet you in a different sense than just a friend." It was a serious confession, to the point where he even said, "If someone asks me if I have a girlfriend, I want to say that I do."

However, Yang Jung-a's choice was friendship over love. Yang Jung-a also revealed that she felt fluttering excitement for Kim Seung-soo and contemplated the possibility of developing into a couple, but ultimately did not accept the confession, saying, "I want to see you for a long time. I don't want to lose you as a good friend." In the March 2025 MBC 'Radio Star' variety filming, she also gave an explanation to the effect that while she felt her romantic cells coming alive, she did not feel Kim Seung-soo, who had been a friend for a long time, as a man.

Yang Jung-a married a younger businessman in 2013 but divorced in 2017. Kim Seung-soo remains unmarried to this day. There was a clear gap between the 'some' (flirtatious) atmosphere created through broadcasting and actual emotions. In the end, for Yang Jung-a, Kim Seung-soo was not someone she might lose through dating, but rather a long-time friend she wanted to keep by her side even if she does not date.

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