South Korean actress Jung Eun-chae (정은채) has steadily gained recognition for her refined acting and distinctive cool demeanor in works such as “The King: Eternal Monarch,” “Anna,” “Jeong Nyeon,” and “Flex X Cop 2.” Many viewers have dubbed her the “epitome of sophistication.” In March 2024, news broke of her relationship with artist Kim Chung-jae (김충재), who previously appeared on “I Live Alone.” Both parties openly confirmed their romance, which is now entering its third year, maintaining a consistently private and stable dynamic. Jung Eun-chae’s recent interview discussing her boyfriend has once again brought their relationship into the spotlight, leading netizens to revisit and discuss her past dating history.
On May 22, Jung Eun-chae sat down for a media interview at a café in Seoul’s Gangnam District to share her experiences filming SBS’s “Flex X Cop 2.” The drama aired its finale on May 19. Jung joined the cast in the second season, portraying Joo Hye-ra, the leader of the Gangha Police Station’s Violent Crimes Unit 1—a calm, decisive, and authoritative character that garnered significant attention from viewers.
Speaking about her publicly acknowledged boyfriend, Kim Chung-jae, Jung Eun-chae revealed that he has always been very supportive of her acting career. She stated, “Chung-jae and I have always had a relationship where we respect each other’s work and support one another. He also told me he really enjoyed watching my latest project.”
She also mentioned that the couple doesn't overly interfere with each other's work, instead focusing on their respective fields while offering mutual support. “Rather than meticulously meddling in each other’s work, we prefer to respect what the other person is doing and offer support,” she explained. This discreet and mutually respectful dynamic suggests their relationship remains stable.
In fact, Kim Chung-jae has openly supported Jung Eun-chae’s projects on multiple occasions. When Jung appeared in tvN’s “Jeong Nyeon,” he shared a screenshot of himself watching the drama on his personal social media, publicly cheering on his girlfriend.
Kim Chung-jae himself is an artist and product designer who gained attention in 2017 after appearing on MBC’s variety show “I Live Alone.” He initially appeared as a junior artist to cartoonist and entertainer Kian84 and has since continued to appear on various variety shows while pursuing his art and design work.
However, as Jung Eun-chae recently discussed her romantic life again, two past relationship controversies she was involved in have resurfaced online. One incident occurred in 2013, when Japanese entertainment weekly “Friday” reported that Jung Eun-chae met Japanese actor Kase Ryo (加瀬亮) while working on a film with director Hong Sang-soo (홍상수). The two were photographed together, including spending a night together, dating in a car, and shopping at a Tokyo supermarket.
At the time, Kase Ryo was reportedly dating and cohabiting with Japanese actress Ichikawa Mikako (市川実日子) for many years. Therefore, after the photos were exposed, questions arose about their relationship, leading to speculation of “rebound romance” and “two-timing.” The incident was even labeled an “illicit affair.”
However, Jung Eun-chae’s agency at the time strongly denied the dating rumors, emphasizing that the Japanese media reports were “completely baseless and unfounded.” They explained that Jung Eun-chae had traveled to Japan simply to visit friends living there, and Kase Ryo merely acted as a guide, denying any romantic involvement between them.
Years later, Jung Eun-chae became embroiled in another relationship controversy in 2020. Korean media outlets revisited her past with singer Jung Joon-il (정준일) from about 10 years prior, suggesting they had a romantic relationship.
According to reports at the time, Jung Eun-chae had frequently attended Jung Joon-il’s concerts and was even believed by fans to be his girlfriend. However, a post later appeared on Jung Joon-il’s fan cafe, revealing that he had registered his marriage in 2010. Although the couple divorced in 2011, there were allegations of an extramarital affair during their marriage, and Jung Eun-chae was consequently drawn into the discussion.
Jung Joon-il’s ex-wife, identified as “Ms. A,” publicly stated at the time that she met and began dating Jung Joon-il in 2006. She later discovered that he allegedly had an extramarital affair with another woman between late 2009 and mid-2010. She revealed that although Jung Joon-il promised not to repeat his actions, they still registered their marriage in 2011, but the marriage subsequently broke down due to related issues.
Regarding this past incident, Jung Eun-chae’s side stated that she was unaware Jung Joon-il was married, emphasizing that she was unknowingly involved. Jung Joon-il’s side, however, denied these claims. Due to the conflicting accounts, the incident continued to spark debate at the time.
At that time, Jung Eun-chae was filming the SBS drama “The King: Eternal Monarch.” Some netizens even flooded the drama’s official website with comments demanding her removal from the cast, causing the controversy to spill over into her acting project.
Now, Jung Eun-chae and Kim Chung-jae have been publicly dating for nearly three years, rarely disclosing details of their private lives. Her recent, rare comments about their “mutually respectful and supportive” dynamic have once again garnered public attention. Consequently, past dating controversies that once sparked debate have resurfaced online for discussion as interest in the couple grows.
