Actress Han So-hee has officially been confirmed to attend the 79th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France, but the announcement is drawing attention for more than just fashion or film appearances.

What immediately caught netizens’ attention was the fact that actor Ryu Jun-yeol — Han So-hee’s ex-boyfriend — had already been spotted at Cannes just days earlier.

The timing has now triggered intense online speculation about the possibility of the former couple having their first public encounter since their highly publicized breakup earlier this year.

Their relationship became one of the biggest celebrity controversies of 2024 after dating rumors exploded following reports that the two had allegedly been traveling together in Hawaii. The situation escalated dramatically when Hyeri, Ryu Jun-yeol’s former longtime girlfriend, posted a cryptic Instagram Story featuring palm trees alongside the caption “It’s funny.”

That single phrase instantly fueled accusations of a so-called “transit relationship,” with internet users speculating that the actor may have moved on from Hyeri to Han So-hee too quickly. The controversy quickly spiraled into one of the most heavily discussed celebrity scandals in Korean entertainment at the time.

Eventually, both Han So-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol confirmed their relationship — only to break up less than two weeks later amid overwhelming public scrutiny and nonstop media attention.

Now, with both stars linked to Cannes once again, fans and netizens are wondering whether the festival could unexpectedly become the setting for an awkward reunion.

Online reactions have been divided.

Some people are already anticipating a “historic” celebrity encounter if the two attend overlapping events, premieres, or after-parties during the festival. Others believe the chances of them actually interacting publicly are extremely low, especially considering how much attention the relationship drama generated.

Meanwhile, some netizens are more focused on the symbolism of the moment itself. Cannes is considered one of the most prestigious events in global cinema, and seeing both stars appear there individually after months of controversy has led many fans to comment on how differently the situation feels now compared to the chaos surrounding their breakup.

Adding even more attention to the situation is the fact that Ryu Jun-yeol recently became a trending topic after a Japanese film distributor shared an anecdote from Cannes involving the actor casually mentioning Han So-hee by name while discussing one of her films. That story alone reignited public curiosity about the former couple just days before Han So-hee’s own Cannes appearance was announced.

At the moment, there is no indication that the two stars are scheduled to appear together officially. Still, the possibility alone has been enough to dominate entertainment discussions online.

For many fans, Cannes may now become more than just a film festival this year — it may also turn into the unexpected next chapter of one of Korean entertainment’s most talked-about celebrity scandals.