Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? If you’ve been around the K-pop scene long enough, you’ll remember this little slice of EXO-L history: back in 2013, Park Chanyeol, yes the “Happy Virus” himself, was caught with a mystery blonde beauty as his phone wallpaper.
At first, fans swore it was 2NE1’s Sandara Park. But sharp-eyed netizens quickly corrected the record: nope, it wasn’t Dara at all. It was none other than Australian model Skye Stracke.
The Receipts: When EXO-Ls Caught On
- Sept 18, 2013 – “Ooooppsss…… It’s not Dara’s photo”
An Indonesian EXO fan blog broke the news that the wallpaper wasn’t Sandara Park but Skye Stracke. Cue fandom meltdown. - Sept 20, 2013 – Viral Tweet Compilation
A now-legendary post listing EXO members’ wallpapers labeled Chanyeol’s as “Sandara Park / Skye Stracke.” The confusion was real, but the Skye connection was cemented. - Sept 27, 2013 – “Fakta Park Chanyeol” Fan Blog
A fan fact list circulating on Indonesian blogs claimed: “Chanyeol likes Australian model Skye Stracke and keeps her photo on his phone. He also followed her on Instagram.” - Oct 2014 – Couple Item Chatter
Instiz threads resurfaced the rumor when fans dubbed Chanyeol the “ultimate fanboy,” joking that he had a type for famous women he admired from afar. - Oct 8, 2014 – Twitter Buzz
Fans noted that Skye herself followed Chanyeol back on Instagram, fueling whispers that it was more than just a fan crush.
And if you needed extra proof of how sticky the rumor was? Multiple Indonesian blog compilations between 2014-2017 kept repeating the “Skye wallpaper” tidbit as Chanyeol trivia.
Who Is Skye Stracke?
For those outside the fashion world, Skye Stracke isn’t just a random pretty face. She’s an Australian-born model who got her big break at age 14 and quickly rose to international runways. Think Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino. She even fronted campaigns for Cacharel and graced multiple Vogue covers.
Her connection to Korea wasn’t just digital, either. Stracke actually worked in Seoul’s fashion scene:
- April 2011: Appeared in Singles Korea magazine.
- January 2014: Covered Elle Korea Accessories (shot by Ryoo Hyung Won)
So yes, timing-wise, she really was in Korea during the height of the EXO wallpaper rumors.
Fanboy Crush or Something More Even in 2025?
Skye’s still hanging on, but Chanyeol’s moved on.
As of 2025, Skye Stracke still has Chanyeol on her follow list. But he’s long since hit that unfollow button. A one-sided follow in the year of our lord 2025? Ouch.
Fans back then loved to speculate. Some teased that she was his “ideal type,” others said it was just harmless wallpaper admiration.
Either way, Skye Stracke remains a tiny but iconic footnote in EXO-L fandom history known forever the blonde model who once knocked Sandara Park off Chanyeol’s phone screen.
Was Chanyeol just stanning a Western model he admired from afar like any guy would with a Vogue cover star? Or did their brief Instagram interactions mean he actually slid into her DMs…and meet IRL?
This gossip guru may have inside information about Chanyeol and Skye’s relationship and what actually went down. My inbox is open for details. It’s juicy!
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