Nana (Lim Jin-ah, 임진아, 35), a former member of the K-pop group After School, and T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun, 최승현, 38), formerly of BIGBANG, recently confirmed their relationship after being photographed on a date by Korean media outlet Dispatch. Both of their agencies stated that the two began dating around June of this year, transitioning from professional colleagues to a couple.
Following the public announcement of their relationship, Nana personally shared her feelings on a fan communication platform, admitting, "You must all be very surprised, and I'm a little shy myself." She sweetly added, "We will date well and healthily." What was intended as a declaration of affection to her fans unexpectedly triggered negative reactions from some Korean netizens, primarily due to T.O.P's past involvement in a marijuana case, which led some to express disappointment in the relationship.
The couple's connection began in January of this year. Nana appeared in the music video for "Studio54," the lead track from T.O.P's first solo studio album, *TOP SPOT – ANOTHER DIMENSION*. They met for the first time during the MV shoot. Reportedly, they grew closer during the collaboration, and their feelings for each other developed beyond work, officially becoming a couple around June.
With their relationship confirmed by both agencies, Nana's confession was initially seen by fans as a sweet response. However, her phrase "date healthily" became a focal point of discussion among Korean netizens. Given T.O.P's past drug-related issues, some users found the use of "healthy" to describe their relationship particularly ironic.
T.O.P was indicted in 2016 for allegedly smoking marijuana and was subsequently sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. After the incident, he hinted on social media that he was considering leaving the entertainment industry and later departed from BIGBANG. He made his return to the entertainment scene in December 2024, appearing in Season 2 of the Netflix original series *Squid Game*, which again drew significant public attention.
Now that T.O.P and Nana have officially confirmed their relationship, critical comments have emerged on Korean online forums. Netizens have posted remarks such as "Dating healthily with someone with a drug record is absurd" and "Birds of a feather flock together." Some even used sarcastic phrases like "Don't let him go," plunging the newly public relationship into considerable public controversy.
