If dating an idol is a thriller, marrying a Chaebol (conglomerate heir) is the epic fantasy romance. This is the storyline that every Miss Korea winner dreams of, and every Korean drama writer replicates.
A recurring storyline in real-life Miss Korea romance is the pairing of titleholders with prominent businessmen, elite professionals, or heirs to chaebols (large family-owned business conglomerates).
Many prominent Miss Korea winners—such as Kim Sung-ryung (1988), Go Hyun-jung (1989), and Lee Bo-young (a 2000 contestant)—transitioned into A-list actresses. Consequently, their real-life romances began to intertwine with the highly idealized worlds of K-Dramas.