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IU and Lee Jong Suk Confirm Breakup After Four Years of Dating

Author David Kim

Update July 10, 2026

Date July 10, 2026

IU and Lee Jong-suk (Photos / Instagram)

IU and Lee Jong Suk End Relationship After Nearly Four Years Together

Singer-actress IU and actor Lee Jong Suk have ended their relationship after dating publicly for nearly four years, their agencies confirmed on Thursday.

IU’s agency, EDAM Entertainment, confirmed the breakup, telling Yonhap News Agency that “the two have ended their relationship.”

Lee Jong Suk’s agency, Ace Factory, also confirmed the news, saying the pair had decided to remain on good terms as colleagues.

The two first met in 2012 while serving as co-hosts of SBS music program Inkigayo. After years of friendship within the entertainment industry, they developed a romantic relationship and began dating in 2022.

Their relationship became public later that year after Lee Jong Suk appeared to reference IU during his acceptance speech for the Grand Prize (Daesang) at the 2022 MBC Drama Awards for Big Mouth. He thanked someone who had always been “wonderful” and revealed he had admired that person for a long time. Shortly afterward, both agencies confirmed they were dating, making them one of South Korea’s most high-profile celebrity couples.

IU, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, debuted as a singer in 2008 and has built one of the country’s most successful music careers with hit songs including Good Day, You & I, and Through the Night. In recent years, she has also earned critical acclaim as an actress through dramas such as My Mister, When Life Gives You Tangerines, and The 21st Century Grand Prince’s Wife.

Lee Jong Suk began his career as a fashion model in 2005 before making his acting debut in 2010 with Prosecutor Princess. He later rose to fame through dramas including Secret Garden, I Can Hear Your Voice, and Pinocchio. He is also set to appear in Disney+’s upcoming series The Remarried Empress.

Neither agency disclosed the reason for the breakup.