'Single's Inferno 3' star Lee Gwan Hee brushes off dating rumors with Choi Hye Seon: 'I honestly didn't think we could be a couple'
Single's Inferno Season 3 star Lee Gwan Hee shut down dating rumors with fellow contestant Choi Hye Seon, saying that although his connection with the latter persisted beyond the show, he needed to have a relationship with someone he "can see every day."
"I don't post on YouTube during the basketball season, but I had a message to tell you, so I filmed a video at home late. I want to say that I'm not a couple with Choi Hye Seon," the professional basketball player who used to play in the 2016 PBA Governor's Cup, revealed on his personal YouTube channel on Saturday, Jan. 20.
"I contacted Choi Hye Seon from time to time right after the show and saw her at a get-together dinner, but I have to have a relationship with someone I can see every day," he continued, highlighting reasons why he thinks they couldn't be a couple.
Hye Seon is off to England to pursue higher studies, while Gwan Hee will train in Changwon.
"I honestly didn't think we could be a couple. That's why I only kept in touch with her from time to time."
Furthermore, Gwan Hee sets the record straight about him gifting Hye Seon flowers on her birthday.
"I've actually never been to that florist, and I never gave her flowers," the six-foot-two basketball player-turned-reality star explained.
Speculations on the two's dating rumors began when eagle-eyed fans noticed social media hints, sparking discussion and anticipation about their possible romance.
For instance, Gwan Hee revealed on OSEN that they are "talking to each other and are getting along" while offering glimpses of their post-show dynamics.
In case you didn't know, Gwan Hee has been the talk of the town for being this season's biggest "player," having liked three girls—Choi Hye Seon, Yun Ha-jeong, and Cho Min-ji. But in the finale episode, the basketball player and Choi Hye Seon choose each other before departing from the "Paradise."
Another instance that made social media users think that these two were up for something greater than friendship was when Choi Hye Seon shared photos of herself at the Bristol Bridge in the United Kingdom, in which Gwan Hee commented.
"When is the basketball court?" he wrote alongside a crying face emoji.
"How about an away game? Hoho," Hye Seon responded.
Gwan Hee and Hye Seon are among the contestants in the third installment of Netflix's dating series, Single's Inferno, which follows nine "young flirty Korean singles" as they "search for love on a deserted island that they can only escape as couples for romantic date nights in paradise."
After the show concluded on Jan. 9, Gwan Hee reflected on his experience on the reality show, saying, "I remember watching the show a long time ago, and it really made me think deeply. While my honest and candid personality might not have resonated with everyone, I have no regrets about being true to myself."
The first season of the reality series premiered in December 2021, with the sophomore season in 2022.