South Korean singer-songwriter IU and actor Lee Jong-suk recently confirmed their relationship.
On Dec. 31, 2022, South Korean media outlet Dispatch revealed their New Year’s couple, as per annual tradition. They reported that their New Year’s couple for 2023, IU and Lee Jong-suk, have been dating in secret for four months.
The pair reportedly met in 2012 on the set of South Korean music program “Inkigayo.” The two became friends following their stint as co-hosts.
Dispatch claims Lee planned a luxury three-day Christmas getaway for IU, flying her and her younger brother out to Japan and arranging a chauffeur service to pick them up at the airport before meeting up with them himself.
Anonymous sources said that their respective families have known about the relationship for a while. Past interactions between the two have resurfaced online amid the dating news; for instance, IU sang at Lee’s brother’s wedding last year in October.
In response to the recent reports, IU and Lee’s respective agencies confirmed the relationship.
“IU and Lee Jong Suk recently progressed from being close acquaintances into a good relationship. We ask for the warm reception of fans,” IU’s agency, EDAM Entertainment, said in a statement, according to Soompi.
Lee’s agency also released an official statement on the last day of 2022, confirming that Lee and IU “recently progressed from being close acquaintances into being a couple, and they are maintaining a serious relationship. Please show lots of support so they can continue their beautiful relationship.”
Additionally, IU and Lee confirmed their relationship in recently released letters addressed to their fans.
IU’s fan cafe letter for her fandom, UAENA, included an update on her love life:
If you might have had a bit of confusing last day of the year because of me, today I came to relay New Year’s greetings along with my gratitude and apologetic feelings. Those who saw the articles today must know, but I am currently dating. I think our UAENA who are always worried about me and curious about how I am doing must have been really surprised, so I feel very cautious about this but, yeah.. that happened!
The artist also wrote that positive feelings between her and Lee gradually built up over the years. She called him supportive, encouraging, “reliable” and “cute.”
Her letter also tells her fans not to worry:
As UAENA always watches over me most closely, I think you must feel that I am in a time where I am emotionally comfortable and doing well. Along with that, I think one of the reasons that my pride and passion for work is surging even more these days is because I have a good friend who compliments me for a long time up close. Since you have all found out now, we will date quietly and beautifully to not worry my fans….! Sorry to surprise you, but I am so apologetic and thankful to UAENA who still congratulated me and first asked how I am.
Lee’s fan cafe letter also shed more light on the relationship:
We were friends for a long time, and now it turned out like this. Um… I want to explain this well.. How should I say this.. Even when I was working hard living my own way, she was a strange existence who always took up a corner of my heart. I think my fans will understand if I say that she was like Kang Dan-i (the love interest of his character Cha Eun-ho in the 2019 K-drama “Romance is a Bonus Book”) to me.
“She is an amazing person who helps me with my path and concerns of life as a friend, is someone I can rely on, is younger but sometimes feels older, and is like a grown adult but also someone I want to protect. Now she makes me want to be a better person,” he added.
Lee concluded his letter by thanking his fans:
“I have to introduce her well, but this is also the first time for me, so I’m worried that fans might have been really surprised and maybe a bit upset. I hope you will watch us with warmth. I was so so thankful for the love and support you sent during this year where so much happened, and I was so glad we got to meet again. Happy New Year, and I love you always.”
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