Updated July.21,2008 09:23 KST

Kwone, Son to Tie the Knot on Sept. 28
The actor couple Kwone Sang-woo and Son Tae-young are getting married on Sept. 28. "I thought she was a good person with an innocent heart after I saw a program on TV where she wept while talking about her past,ˇ± Kwone said in a press conference in Seoul on Friday. ˇ°I was introduced to her by an acquaintance, and we started dating shortly afterward.ˇ±

The romance was recently made public by a sports newspaper. Kwone said he swore his love for her in a hot-air balloon in Australia, where he gave her a necklace. "She is the biggest energy of my life. She makes me laugh, and makes me have hope," he said.

Kwone Sang-woo (left) and Son Tae-yong are to be married on Sept. 28.

The Internet was abuzz with the news. Son, who entered the entertainment business after coming third in the 2000 Miss Korea pageant, has been known for dating a string of men. They included composer Joo Young-hoon, actors Shin Hyun-jun and Yoon Tae-young, singer Tim and music video director Cool K. Some Internet users cast doubt on her sincerity after she said on a recent TV program she did not think she could date again since she still smarts from past relationships. Others congratulated the couple, saying their love is all that matters and expressing hope they will live together happily.

Some Internet users speculate Son might be pregnant. Kwone told reporters he would do his best to answer their questions and offered details on the proposal, their dating and the reaction of their families. But when asked if Son was pregnant, he was silent.

That only fueled the rumors. Entertainment insiders say there must be a very persuasive reason why the couple decided to marry now. Son is incommunicadoŁ®

Japanese sports newspapers Nikkan Sports and Sponichi SaturdayˇŻs edition gave prominent coverage to news of the impending wedding. The Sponichi offered a detailed account of KwoneˇŻs press conference and their romance. ˇ°Kwone repeatedly said how happy he is about their marriage, and it seemed as if he were reading lines from Korean soap operas,ˇ± the daily said.

The press conference confirmed KwoneˇŻs status as one of the leading figures of the Korean Wave as it drew reporters from numerous outlets including JapanˇŻs Kyodo news agency.

(englishnews@chosun.com )