Top★ Couple, 'Breakup' Is No Big Deal.. IU Reunites with Heo Nam-jun Again, Lee Jong-seok Unscathed by 'Remarried Empress' Hype [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

Top stars IU (33, real name Lee Ji-eun) and Lee Jong-seok (37) have announced their breakup after four years of public dating, drawing significant attention to their future moves.

Earlier, on the 10th, both sides of IU and Lee Jong-seok confirmed the breakup, shocking fans. They issued an official statement saying, "It is true that we recently broke up," and added, "We have decided to remain good colleagues."

Thus, after publicly dating since December 31, 2022, the two have returned to being colleagues for the first time in four years. IU and Lee Jong-seok first met through SBS's 'Inkigayo' in 2012 and spent a decade evolving from acquaintances into lovers, deepening the sense of regret. Notably, their relationship became public after Lee Jong-seok won the Grand Prize at the 2022 MBC Drama Awards and expressed his feelings for IU, which sparked further attention as 'the top star couple of the century.' At that time, it was revealed that the 'person' to whom Lee Jong-seok had confessed his heart was IU. Moreover, their love was so solid that IU even sang a wedding song at Lee Jong-seok's younger sister's wedding. Additionally, during a couple's trip to Japan, Lee Jong-seok invited IU's younger brother, making their relationship recognized by both families and generating widespread discussion.

However, it is reported that IU and Lee Jong-seok eventually grew distant due to busy schedules as beloved stars both domestically and internationally, leading to their breakup.

Despite the breakup, both have promised to continue their active activities in their respective fields without change. IU visited viewers with the MBC drama '21st Century Grand Duchess' in April this year and will meet the public again as a singer in the second half of the year.

Notably, IU drew attention by announcing an exclusive reunion with the rising star Heo Nam-jun. After casting Heo Nam-jun in the music video for her 2023 May remake song 'Never Ending Story,' she once again invited him to star in a new single's music video. At the time, Heo Nam-jun was merely an unknown rookie, but after becoming a top star through SBS's drama 'Beautiful World,' his reunion with IU has already generated immense anticipation as a historic meeting. Furthermore, Heo Nam-jun made a special appearance as a blind date character in episode 2 of '21st Century Grand Duchess,' which aired on April 11, building a unique bond with IU through various means, promising a trusted and compelling chemistry.

In contrast, Lee Jong-seok is set to return to television screens one year after his last drama, tvN's 'Seocho-dong,' in the second half of this year. He will appear in Disney+'s new original series 'Remarried Empress,' reaching global viewers.

Notably, 'Remarried Empress' is a romantic fantasy epic based on a popular web novel, featuring Lee Jong-seok's unprecedented acting transformation. In the drama, he plays Heinrey, a prince of the Western Kingdom who hides a secret.

Given that 'Remarried Empress' is known to have involved massive production costs, it has assembled an extravagant casting lineup. Alongside Lee Jong-seok, the cast includes Shin Min-a as Queen Navi, Ju Ji-hoon as Emperor Sovieush, and Lee Se-young as Lasta, a runaway slave.

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*This content was translated by AI.