[Sportschosun Jo Min-jung] Rapper Dok2 has revealed his love story with singer Lee Hi for the first time. He spoke candidly about how they first met, how their relationship gradually developed over time, and why he decided to make their romance public himself.
A recent video titled "Dok2 on Leaving Korea and Finding Love" was uploaded to the YouTube channel HOME ROOM SHOW.
In the video, Dok2 said he first met Lee Hi through an acquaintance around 2014 or 2015. He added that they grew closer naturally while working on each other’s albums.
Dok2 admitted that he had feelings for Lee Hi from the beginning. "I already liked her back then, but I had health issues and was planning to move to the United States, so it was hard to start a serious relationship," he said. The two later spent some time apart during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they reconnected through a performance in the United Kingdom, which brought them much closer again.
Dok2 said, "I was already a fan of Lee Hi. I kept thinking that I wanted to make music with her." He added, "When we met again, we realized how we felt about each other." He also said they began thinking not only about music, but also about their future together. "I’m 36 now, and Lee Hi is 29. I didn’t think we were at an age for casual dating," he said.
Because they work in different environments in Korea and the United States, they discussed how they could build something together. In the end, they founded an independent label called 808 High, which would allow each of them to continue their own music careers.
He also explained why they chose to reveal their relationship. Dok2 said, "We wanted to show it ourselves rather than have it come out through entertainment media." He added that they decided to let fans know naturally through the music they made together, as well as music videos and vlogs.
Meanwhile, Dok2 also spoke about why he left Korea and moved to the United States. He said he had been under severe mental stress and his health had worsened, so he wrapped up his activities in Korea and started a new life in the United States. He also said he recently regained his joy in music by producing Lee Hi’s songs, and hinted at a new album in July along with new activities through the independent label 808 High.
Jo Min-jung mj.cho@sportschosun.com
