Former K-pop idol Yoo Dongho has publicly revealed his relationship with Taiwanese-Canadian boyfriend Zilong, who is 16 years younger, through a new couple’s Instagram account and YouTube channel.
The former Apeace member, 40, made the announcement recently when the account “Dong Ho Zi Long” posted a strip of photos showing the couple kissing with the message “coming soon”. The account bio links to theirs YouTube channelwhich features videos of the couple together.
Zilong, born in 2001, then 24 years old, appears to be a baker who owns or is affiliated with a bakery or biscuit shop. One of the videos on their channel shows footage of Zilong flying to confess his feelings for the idol.
The couple’s YouTube channel, launched in December 2025, has been active for less than two weeks.
Prior to this announcement, neither had posted any hints about their relationship on the main Instagram feeds, making the couple’s channel their official launch.
Dongho made his debut in 2010 as a member Peacea boy group under Golden Goose Entertainment that was once known to be the largest in the Korean entertainment industry with 21 members. He was part of the Jade subunit and was the oldest member of the group. Dongho graduated from Apeace in June 2014 along with five other members, and the group disbanded in 2021.
While LGBTQ+ representation in K-pop has historically been limited due to South Korea’s conservative attitude towards homosexuality, several artists have bravely come out in recent years. Hollandborn Go Tae-seob, he is widely recognized as the first openly gay K-pop idol when he debuted in 2018 with his single “Neverland,” which featured a same-sex kiss in the music video.
In April 2025Bain of the boy group Just B made history as the first K-pop idol active in a Korean group to come out as gay during a concert in Los Angeles. The 23-year-old member told the audience, “I’m proud to be part of the LGBTQ+ community – as a gay person,” before performing Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” while waving a rainbow flag.
Bain explained in later interviews that hiding his sexuality had been painful and that he had decided to come out because he believed he would “gain more” than he might lose. His bandmates and his agency supported his decision, with fellow bandmate Siwoo saying he cried watching Bain’s announcement from backstage.
