Actor Namkoong Min may have been certain about his actress wife Jin A Reum from the beginning, but convincing her to give him a chance was another story.
The actor recently shared the full story of how he met his now-wife, revealing that she turned him down twice before their eight-year relationship finally began. Namkoong Min appeared on KBS 2TV’s Problem Child in House and reflected on meeting Jin A Reum while directing the 2015 short film Light My Fire.
She was one of several actresses who auditioned for the project, but Namkoong Min admitted that she immediately stood out to him. Although the other staff members apparently had different opinions, he personally liked her the most. Looking back, he joked that his judgment may not have been entirely professional.
There were four or five people at the audition, but my wife was the one who especially caught my eye. Now that I think about it, I may have had ulterior motives.
— Namkoong Min
Nothing romantic happened during filming, which Namkoong Min completed in only two days due to the limited production budget. Their connection began afterward through one of his friends, who also happened to be Jin A Reum’s acting instructor. The friend helped them exchange contact information and arranged a casual meeting for the three of them.
Once Namkoong Min got to know her away from the set, he became even more interested. He described Jin A Reum as exceptionally kind and sincere, saying that her personality convinced him to make a serious attempt to win her over. He explained, “She was so kindhearted and pure. I thought, ‘I should gather the courage to pursue this person and confess how I feel.’”
His first attempt, however, did not go particularly well. Namkoong Min admitted that he had been drinking when he suddenly asked Jin A Reum, “Do you want to date?” He later realized that the confession had sounded far too casual and had come without enough warning.
I have an impatient personality. When I have feelings, I think I should just confess them honestly, but from her perspective, it must have felt very sudden.
— Namkoong Min
According to Namkoong Min, Jin A Reum flat-out rejected him. She also initially assumed that he might be a frivolous playboy because he was a celebrity, which made her even more cautious. Still, Namkoong Min continued pursuing her for roughly two months, even while traveling to China to film a movie. He confessed again, only to be rejected once more. Surprisingly, he said the second rejection left him feeling relieved rather than devastated. He believed he had finally done everything he could and decided it was time to stop.
That was when the situation unexpectedly reversed.
I felt relieved and thought, ‘I should stop now.’ But then she said that we should try seeing each other!
— Namkoong Min
The pair began dating and remained together for eight years before marrying in October 2022. Now in their fourth year of marriage and reportedly expecting their first child, Namkoong Min and Jin A Reum’s relationship began with an audition, two failed confessions, and one perfectly timed change of heart.
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