Rapper Big Naughty marries childhood sweetheart who inspired his hit 'Vancouver'

Rapper Big Naughty, whose real name is Seo Dong-hyun, has registered his marriage with his elementary school sweetheart — the inspiration behind his song "Vancouver" — making the two legally husband and wife.

His agency, Higher Music, confirmed Thursday that Big Naughty had completed the marriage registration with his non-celebrity girlfriend. The identity of his spouse and whether a wedding ceremony was held were not disclosed.

Big Naughty had first shared the news with fans Wednesday in a group message chat.

"I wanted to tell you before anyone else found out — there's one more big thing happening this year," he wrote. "I've decided to spend the rest of my life with the person who appears in 'Vancouver,' 'Vancouver 2,' and many other songs."

"Thanks to you, those songs were able to reach the world, and I feel like I've learned a lot because of that," he added.

On the same day, Big Naughty posted a video on Instagram capturing memories of the two of them, along with the message: "We first met at age 9, and now we're getting married at 24." The video included a scene of him proposing inside a car, ring in hand.

"I will complete my service diligently and return as a more mature person," he wrote. Big Naughty has been serving as a social service worker since Sept. 10.

Their story runs throughout his music. Big Naughty wrote "Vancouver" to express his longing after a girl he liked in elementary school left to study abroad in Vancouver, Canada. He followed it with "Vancouver 2" in 2023. The two reconnected after she heard the songs and eventually became a couple.

Born in 2003, Big Naughty rose to prominence in 2019 when he appeared on Mnet's "Show Me the Money 8" while attending Daewon Foreign Language High School, finishing in a tie for third place. He made his official debut that same year with the single "Sibaljeom" and went on to win fans with tracks including "Jeong-i-rago Haja," "Nostalgia" and "Chinguro Jinaeda Bomyeon."