One Instagram DM Ended Nam Chang-hee s 6-Year Wait for Love

For six years, comedian Nam Chang-hee carried a quiet torch for a woman who had turned him down. Then one evening in 2021, three words arrived in his Instagram inbox that changed everything. In a newly released behind-the-scenes video from his wedding, the 44-year-old comedian finally told the full story of how he ended up marrying Yoon Young-kyung, the woman once famously dubbed the Han River IU after her appearance on MBC s legendary variety show Infinite Challenge.

The video, posted on Hong Jin-kyung s popular YouTube channel Study King Genius on March 12, captured intimate moments from the couple s wedding at Seoul s five-star Shilla Hotel, held on February 22. Fellow comedian Jo Se-ho officiated the ceremony, singer Lee Juck performed the wedding song, and comedians Yang Se-hyung and Yoo Byung-jae delivered the congratulatory speeches.

The Confession That Backfired

Nam revealed that the initial introduction came through a manager connected to fellow entertainer Sang-yeob, who told him about a woman he would absolutely love. After checking her social media, Nam was immediately smitten and arranged a meeting. But there was a problem: she was not interested.

Things got more complicated when his close friend Jo Se-ho, who had joined them for dinner, suddenly blurted out Nam s secret feelings at the table. With his cover blown, Nam had no choice but to confess on the spot. The result was swift and devastating — she went silent, and their contact fizzled out entirely.

Six Years of Persistence

Nam admitted he tried reaching out multiple times over the following years. Each attempt followed the same pattern: a brief reply, then nothing. He described the painful cycle of hope and disappointment that stretched across more than six years of knowing each other at a distance.

Then came the turning point. In 2021, Nam posted a Mighty Mouse song called Will Love Come on his Instagram story as a casual promotion for the track. Yoon saw it and sent a direct message with just three words that echoed the song title: Will love come? She later told him it was because seeing the post reminded her of his warmth and the kindness he had shown during their earlier meetings.

From DM to Wedding Day

Nam wasted no time. When she asked when they could meet, he replied with a single word: Tomorrow. They met the very next day and started dating immediately, beginning a relationship that would last four and a half years before culminating in their February wedding.

During the YouTube video interview, Hong Jin-kyung teased Nam about how he landed such a beautiful bride. His answer was characteristically humble: he said he simply tried to be warm, speak kindly, and make her feel comfortable. The 36-year-old bride, who currently works as a public relations officer at Dongdaemun District Office, had first gained public attention through her striking resemblance to singer IU during her Infinite Challenge appearance.

The behind-the-scenes footage also captured Jo Se-ho and his wife at the ceremony, with Hong Jin-kyung joking that watching the happy couple made her feel lonely as a divorcee. Fellow comedian Kim Su-yong and rapper Gri, the son of broadcaster Kim Gu-ra, were also spotted among the guests with their partners, turning the event into a who s who of Korean entertainment.