Dispatch is one of the biggest South Korean news outlets, best known for being the first to report on most entertainment industry news, such as castings, comebacks, and couples. The media outlet is infamous for having photos as proof for their reports and for exposing a couple every time a new year comes around, hence the term “Dispatch New Year Couple.” Despite Dispatch being criticized for their paparazzi practices, K-fans continue to wait for the media outlet’s New Year Couple.

In December, rumors have been circulating on Korean platform Instiz that the 2024 Dispatch New Year Couple is allegedly a 4th generation female idol and a 2nd generation male idol-turned-actor, generating more buzz not just in South Korea but also the rest of the world. K-fans and K-Mariteses have waited throughout the whole day of January 1st, but Dispatch didn’t reveal any couple.

Why does Dispatch have no New Year couple reveal for 2024?

Dispatch’s deviation from their yearly tradition may be due to the recent passing of actor Lee Sun-kyun, which has shaken the Korean entertainment industry. The prominent actor passed away after an apparent suicide following a series of scandals.

The late actor is best known internationally for his role as the Park family patriarch in Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite. He may also be familiar for his roles in K-dramas Coffee Prince, Golden Time, and My Mister.

Were there other years that Dispatch didn’t do a New Year couple reveal?

Yes. There have been quite a few years where the outlet hasn’t exposed any couples. For example, in 2017, most Korean media outlets, including Dispatch, focused their efforts on covering the then-ongoing political controversies and corruption scandals involving businesswoman Choi Soon-sil and former president Park Geun-hye.

Who has been revealed as couples over the years?

Here is a complete list of Dispatch’s New Year couple reveal over the years:

• 2010 – actors Kim Hye-soo and Yoo Hae-jin
  Couple’s status: The first-ever Dispatch New Year couple had a short-lived relationship, parting ways in 2011.
• 2011 – none
• 2012 – none
• 2013 – actress Kim Tae-hee and singer-actor Rain
  Couple’s status: The two are happily married with two daughters.

• 2014 – Girls’ Generation’s Yoona and actor Lee Seung-gi
  Couple’s status: They were together for 2 years before breaking up in August 2015 due to their busy schedules.
• 2015 – actor Lee Jung-jae and chaebol heiress Lim Sae-ryung
  Couple’s status: The two are still going strong until now! Fans are just waiting for one of them to pop the question.
• 2016 – JYJ’s Kim Junsu and EXID’s Hani
  Couple’s status: The 2016 couple broke up in the same year due to their busy schedules as idols.
• 2017 – none
  Media focus: political scandal involving businesswoman Choi Soon-sil and former president Park Geun-hye
• 2018 – (1) Big Bang’s G-Dragon and idol-turned-actress Lee Joo-yeon, (2) actors Lee Joon and Jung So-min
  First couple’s status: The two has been linked again and again with each other; however, neither sides confirmed their relationship. So fans are still speculating up to this day.
  Second couple’s status: The two actors happily dated for nearly 3 years before breaking up in June 2020.
• 2019 – BLACKPINK’s Jennie and EXO’s Kai
  Couple’s status: After Dispatch exposed their relationship, the two idols broke up 3 weeks later, with no reason cited.

• 2020 – none
  Netizens assume this is due to the growing unrest over the COVID-19 crisis. However, another news outlet Market News exposed Super Junior’s Heechul and TWICE’s Momo as a couple, though their agencies confirmed their break-up a year and a half later.
• 2021 – Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin
  Couple’s status: Another happily married couple! The Crash Landing in You reel-to-real stars are now proud parents to a probably very handsome son.

• 2022 – T-ARA’s Hyomin and soccer athlete Hwang Ui-jo
  Couple’s status: Dispatch didn’t announce this couple on New Year’s Day, probably to prioritize coverage of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But they did expose the couple on January 3. The two have broken up since then.
• 2023 – IU and Lee Jong-suk
  Couple’s status: A well-loved couple, both individually and together, who has known each other since 2013. The two are going strong to this day.

Is Dispatch simply late?

It’s also possible that Dispatch is only delaying the reveal. They already have a history of delaying the announcement, as they did in 2022 to give way to the COVID-19 pandemic coverage. The media outlet may be giving way to give respect to the passing of actor Lee Sun-kyun.

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