Actor Shim Hyung Tak recently revealed the story of how he met and fell in love with his Japanese wife, Saya.
On October 6, 2025 (KST), Shim appeared on the MBN Chuseok special variety show ‘Donmakase’ alongside MC Hong Seok Chun and chef Lee Won Il.
Shim shared that he filed for marriage with Saya in 2022, who is 18 years his junior, and they held wedding ceremonies in both Korea and Japan in 2023. Their first son, Haru, was born in January 2025.
When asked how he met his wife, Shim explained that he was participating in a program called ‘Nana Land’, filming at the Doraemon Museum in Japan. The next day, he visited a Gundam Cafe in Akihabara and met Saya, who was the manager there.
He said, “At first, she treated me just like any tourist. I liked her so much that I confessed, but she rejected me.” Undeterred, Shim tried again. “The second confession was rejected too. For eight months, I kept pursuing her. Then one day, I relaxed and just spent time with her. By the third date, late at night, we walked through the streets of Tokyo and I saw her off in a taxi.”
Shim added, “I didn’t want to do anything before getting her permission. She told me seeing that made her trust me more.”
Previously, Shim had described his wife on MBC ‘Radio Star’ as resembling a cartoon character, showing his affection for her.
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