What began as a seemingly romantic relationship in Paris has now exploded into one of Han Seo Hee’s biggest controversies in years. After publicly referring to French model Arthur Moreno as “my man” and asking people not to spread rumors about him, Han later admitted the entire relationship was actually promotional content. The controversy intensified when internet users uncovered Moreno’s publicly listed influencer collaboration rates, leading many to speculate that the elaborate “relationship” may have been a paid partnership worth well over 2 million won. Although Han firmly denied ever paying him, the sudden reversal has left many questioning why she encouraged fans to believe the romance was real in the first place.

The controversy began on August 1, when Han Seo Hee uploaded a series of intimate-looking photos and videos with French model and influencer Arthur Moreno during a trip to Paris.

The posts quickly spread across Korean online communities, with many believing Han had finally gone public with a new relationship.

Rather than dismissing the speculation, Han appeared to confirm it herself.

In a message posted to her followers, she wrote:

“Thank you for showing interest in my man. But please don’t make strange rumors. He’s just an ordinary person. Please look kindly upon us.”

That statement dramatically changed how the public interpreted the posts.

Instead of viewing them as promotional content or a brand collaboration, many entertainment outlets and online communities reported that Han was officially dating a foreign model.

For nearly two days, the dating rumors continued to spread.

Then everything changed.

On August 3, Han abruptly reversed course, insisting that she did not have a boyfriend at all.

She joked,

“I don’t have a boyfriend. All of you are my boyfriends.”

Han then explained that she had traveled to Paris for work and had simply asked Arthur Moreno to film promotional content with her.

According to Han, the entire situation was connected to an advertisement.

She later directed followers toward a fortune-telling website, revealing that the seemingly romantic relationship had actually been created as sponsored promotional content.

The revelation immediately sparked confusion.

Many questioned why Han had gone far beyond simply posting romantic-looking content.

She had publicly called Moreno “my man,” asked fans not to spread rumors about him, and appeared to reinforce the idea that the relationship was genuine before suddenly revealing it had all been part of an advertisement.

The controversy intensified once internet users discovered that Arthur Moreno is a professional influencer who openly accepts paid collaborations.

His profile on the influencer marketplace Collabstr lists publicly available rates for sponsored content, including Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels.

Based on the number of posts Han uploaded during the campaign, one Korean media outlet estimated that the collaboration could theoretically have been worth around $1,645 USD, or well over 2 million Korean won, if standard listed rates were applied.

However, there is no evidence confirming that Han actually hired Moreno through the platform or paid those listed prices.

Han strongly denied paying him.

Instead, she claimed:

“I didn’t pay him. I was thankful he agreed to help, so I bought him a meal. Please stop.”

Even with that denial, online speculation continued.

Many netizens questioned whether a professional model with publicly advertised collaboration fees would participate in multiple promotional shoots entirely free of charge.

Others pointed out that influencer marketplace prices are often negotiable and do not necessarily reflect private agreements.

As a result, there is currently no verified evidence showing that Han paid Moreno for the collaboration.

For many critics, however, the payment itself became secondary.

The bigger issue was how the situation had been presented to the public.

Commenters argued that if Han had simply labeled the content as an advertisement from the beginning, the reaction likely would have been much smaller.

Instead, they felt she intentionally encouraged dating speculation before later revealing the truth, leaving many fans feeling manipulated.

Korean online communities quickly filled with criticism.

Some accused Han of seeking attention through manufactured controversy, while others mocked the entire situation by claiming that “her whole life is a lie.”

The backlash adds yet another chapter to Han Seo Hee’s long history of public controversy.

First known to the public after appearing on MBC’s Star Audition in 2012 and later training as an idol, Han became far more widely recognized through a series of highly publicized drug-related legal cases and repeated public controversies.

Since completing her prison sentence and being released in November 2023, she has remained active primarily through social media, where her posts continue to generate significant attention—and just as often, fierce criticism.

Whether this latest incident was simply an unconventional marketing campaign or a publicity stunt that went too far, one thing is clear: what began as a romantic story in Paris has transformed into another headline-grabbing controversy that continues to dominate Korean entertainment discussions.