Everyone remembers the Kravis era. It’s loud, it’s punk rock, and there is a lot of tongue. But if you rewind the clock just a few years, before the Travis Barker tattoos and the Italian wedding extravaganza, there was a different vibe entirely. A quieter, moodier, and honestly, way more controversial one. We’re talking about Kourtney Kardashian and Younes Bendjima.
It was the relationship that caught everyone off guard.
Most people think of Younes as just another "boy toy" or a rebound after the decade-long rollercoaster with Scott Disick. That's a mistake. Looking back from 2026, it’s clear their two-year stint was much more than a filler episode. It was a massive culture shift for Kourtney. It was her first real attempt at independence outside the Kardashian-Disick bubble.
How They Actually Met (It Wasn’t a Red Carpet)
Forget the glitz. They met in a Parisian club in October 2016. Kourtney was there for Fashion Week with her sisters. Younes, an Algerian-born model and former boxer, was already in that circle, hanging out with people like Rita Ora and Sofia Richie.
Kourtney actually shared the story on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. She admitted she was a little tipsy and called him out for being standoffish. "Why do you hate us?" she asked. Classic Kourtney. He didn't blink. He grabbed her hand and told her it was 5:00 a.m. and they were leaving.
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The very next night, everything changed. That was the night Kim was robbed at gunpoint in her hotel. Younes didn't bail. He stayed. He acted as a translator between the family and the French police for hours. When you go through something that traumatic with someone you just met, you bond fast. You don't just "date" after that; you're locked in.
The Aesthetic Era
For a while, they were the "It" couple for people who hated the usual Kardashian over-exposure. They weren't constantly on the show. Instead, they were in Egypt riding camels or lounging on yachts in Positano.
Why the Family Wasn't Into It
- The Age Gap: Kourtney was 38 when they started; Younes was 24. A 14-year gap isn't a crime, but it definitely changed the power dynamic.
- The Control Factor: Younes was traditional. Like, very traditional.
- The Scott Factor: Scott Disick hated him. Naturally. He once famously DM’d Younes to talk trash about Kourtney’s PDA with Travis Barker years later, only for Younes to expose the DM to the world.
The Instagram Comment That Ruined Everything
If you want to know why Kourtney Kardashian and Younes Bendjima eventually crashed, look at a thong bikini photo from July 2018. Kourtney posted a shot of herself. Younes commented: "Thats what you need to show to get likes?"
Yikes.
The internet went nuclear. People called him controlling and toxic. Honestly? It felt like a glimpse into their private arguments. Rumors swirled that he struggled with her public image versus his more private, religious values. You can’t date a Kardashian and then get mad when she does Kardashian things. It’s like buying a boat and complaining that it’s wet.
The Breakup(s) and the Mexico Photos
By August 2018, it was basically over. Photos surfaced of Younes in Mexico with another woman, Jordan Ozuna. He claimed it was just a "boys trip" and they were just friends, but Kim and Khloe weren't having it. Kim famously commented on a screenshot of his excuse with a Pinocchio emoji.
They tried a "re-coupling" in late 2019. He was her date to the Kardashian Christmas Eve party. They went to Disneyland. They looked happy. But by early 2020, the spark was officially dead. Kourtney wanted someone who fully embraced her lifestyle, not someone who tried to edit it.
Where They Are Now
It’s 2026. Kourtney is fully immersed in her life with Travis and their son, Rocky. She’s leaning into the "Lemme" brand and the rockstar-wife aesthetic. She’s never looked more settled.
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Younes? He’s still doing his thing. He’s focused on his creative agency, Studio FY7, and continues to model for high-end brands. He stays relatively low-key compared to the Calabasas crowd. He’s leaned heavily into his faith, frequently sharing his spiritual journeys and Umrah trips on social media.
The Takeaway
Looking back at the timeline of Kourtney Kardashian and Younes Bendjima, it’s a lesson in compatibility. You can have the most beautiful vacations in the world, but if your core values regarding privacy and self-expression don't align, the relationship has an expiration date.
If you're following the Kardashian trajectory, the real "actionable insight" here is about the rebound. Sometimes you need a "Younes" to realize you actually want a "Travis." You need the person who challenges you to realize you actually just want someone who celebrates you.
Check out the old KUWTK Season 14 and 15 episodes if you want to see the tension firsthand. It’s a masterclass in watching a relationship slowly unspool in real-time.
Next time you see a "shady" comment on a celebrity's post, remember: it’s usually the tip of a very large, very messy iceberg.