April Fools’ Day Celebrity News That Seemed Like a Prank — but Was True
by Lee Dong GeonPosted : April 1, 2026, 06:18Updated : April 1, 2026, 06:18
April 1 is known for pranks and lies, so entertainment news that breaks that day often draws extra skepticism. Yet some celebrity headlines reported on April Fools’ Day — or immediately after — prompted “No way” reactions before being confirmed as true.
One of the most cited cases is Hong Kong star Leslie Cheung, who died at a Hong Kong hotel on April 1, 2003. The news was sudden and shocking, and because it fell on April Fools’ Day, fans for a time questioned whether it was real. Each year, his death is still remembered as news that felt “too unbelievable to be true.”
Dating reports can also seem less believable when they surface on April 1. When reports emerged on April 1, 2016, that EXO’s Kai and f(x)’s Krystal were dating, some initially dismissed it as an April Fools’ stunt. SM Entertainment soon confirmed the relationship, saying the two had been friends and had recently begun developing romantic feelings.
On April 1, 2023, dating news also broke involving actors Lim Ji-yeon and Lee Do-hyun, who drew attention for the Netflix series “The Glory.” Their agencies confirmed the same day that the two were “carefully getting to know each other with good feelings.” The timing on April Fools’ Day, along with the contrast to their on-screen connection, made the news feel even more unexpected to many.
[Photo = Yonhap News Agency, provided by each agency]
There was also grim news immediately after April Fools’ Day. Lim Sung-hoon, known as Turtleman and leader of the group Turtles, died suddenly on April 2, 2008. He was 38. As the news spread the day after April 1, fans and online commenters said they hoped it was not true.
Because April 1 is associated with jokes, news reported that day — or right after — can trigger deeper disbelief and, when confirmed, a sharper shock. Cheung’s death, the Kai-Krystal relationship, the public romance of Lim and Lee, and Turtleman’s sudden death are among entertainment stories that have lingered longer in public memory for that reason.
