It seems the atmosphere has changed as Chen, who was vilified by K-Netz when he got married, is now being seen in a new light, all because of Korean actor Jung Woo Sung’s father scandal.
In 2020, Chen, whose real name is Kim Jongdae, announced his marriage to his then-fiancée, who was also expecting their first child. Back then, the EXO member was under fire and got the short end of the stick as his life milestone didn’t sit well with many. Some EXO-Ls have turned their backs on him, with people even criticizing him for having a “shotgun wedding.”
Despite the backlash, EXO’s lead singer continued to work, promoting himself as a solo singer and with his group. In 2022, he released his third EP “Last Scene”, while his fourth EP “Door” was presented in May 2024.
Fast forward to November, the Korean entertainment industry was shocked after it was revealed that famous actor Jung Woo Sung is the father of Moon Gabi’s son, born in March this year, per Dispatch. His agency also confirmed reports that he is the baby’s father, adding that the couple first met in 2022.
TenAsia further reported that Moon Gabi wanted to get married, but the actor refused as he was firmly against the concept of marriage. Despite this, he reportedly said he would do his best as a father, even if from a distance.
But the plot thickens when it is revealed that Jung Woo Sung actually had a girlfriend for ten years and was unaware of his situation with Moon Gabi.
With this scandal timeline, Koreans are suddenly reevaluating EXO Chen. Suddenly, K-Netz is praising the singer for taking responsibility for his wife and children.
“Seriously, looking at the recent entertainment scandals, Kim Jongdae is a noble,” a Korean Internet user wrote on Pann.
Another said, “It’s funny that Kim Jongdae is being reevaluated. Even though he is hated by fans, he doesn’t deserve to be cursed and is fully responsible for his family. Nowadays, he is seen as a fairy.”
“At least Chen married his girlfriend and took responsibility for her pregnancy. Now he has a happy family,” one Internet user said.
Then, a fan wrote: “My taste is not wrong. He was my first idol that I liked when I was in elementary school. He was so good in terms of humanity.”
