News of Lee Jong Suk and IU's breakup after approximately four years of dating has left fans feeling regretful. On July 10th, representatives for both artists confirmed to Dispatch : "The two recently broke up and decided to maintain a good senior-junior relationship." The representatives also stated that they could not share more details as this is a private matter for the artists.
According to a source close to the couple, as reported by Dispatch , the reason for the breakup stemmed from their busy work schedules. The source revealed: "Due to their hectic schedules, they had fewer and fewer opportunities to meet, so they decided to end the relationship."
Lee Jong Suk and IU first met when they co-hosted the SBS program Inkigayo in 2012. Despite frequent dating rumors, both have consistently maintained that they are just close colleagues.
Towards the end of 2022, Dispatch released a series of photos of the two stars celebrating Christmas together in Nagoya, Japan . Shortly after, both their management companies confirmed their relationship. HighZium Studio stated, "Lee Jong Suk and IU have recently developed from close acquaintances into a couple and are maintaining a serious relationship." Meanwhile, EDAM Entertainment also confirmed that the two artists "have developed from close colleagues into a romantic relationship."
During their relationship, Lee Jong Suk and IU rarely appeared together in public.
Image: Screenshots from the Never Ending Story music video (left) and from the movie Two Worlds.
At the time of publicly revealing their relationship, Lee Jong Suk also wrote a letter to his fans, calling IU someone who has always held a special place in his heart for a long time. The actor expressed gratitude for IU's encouragement during difficult times in his life and career. Meanwhile, IU hoped that fans would follow their relationship with support and warmth.
The most private couple in the Korean entertainment industry.
After going public with their relationship, Lee Jong Suk and IU rarely appeared together in public. Instead, they chose to quietly support each other in their careers.
Over the past four years, the couple has repeatedly faced rumors of a breakup, but they have either remained silent or received confirmation from family members that their relationship is stable. Therefore, this confirmation of their separation has come as a surprise to many fans.
IU, whose real name is Lee Ji Eun, debuted as a singer in 2008 and quickly became one of the most successful artists in South Korea. Besides music with many hit songs like "Good Day ," "Palette , " and "Celebrity ," she has also made her mark in acting through dramas such as "My Mister ," " Hotel del Luna ," " Broker ," and " When Life Gives You Tangerines ."
Meanwhile, Lee Jong Suk started as a model before transitioning to acting. He is known for hit dramas such as School 2013 , I Can Hear Your Voice , Pinocchio , While You Were Sleeping , and Big Mouth . The actor is considered one of the most influential faces on the Korean screen for over a decade.
The end of their relationship after approximately four years of dating marks the conclusion of one of the most talked-about romances in the Korean entertainment industry. According to their representatives, Lee Jong Suk and IU will continue to support each other as colleagues.