Actor Lee Jong-suk and singer-actor IU (Lee Ji-eun), who announced their breakup after a four-year relationship, have had IU's recent comments on love draw renewed attention.
On the 10th, Lee Jong-suk's agency Ace Factory told OSEN, "(Lee Jong-suk and IU) have indeed broken up. They decided to remain good colleagues," in an official statement. Lee Jong-suk and IU progressed from colleagues in the entertainment industry to lovers and had continued a public relationship since the end of 2022, but after about four years they have gone their separate ways.
After news of the two's breakup spread, IU's principled views on love, recently revealed through her YouTube channel, were reexamined and drew attention, especially across online communities.
In May, IU's official YouTube channel, "이지금," posted a behind-the-scenes video of the MBC drama "Perfect Crown," in which she was appearing at the time. In the video, IU filmed a scene in which her character, Seong Hee-ju, swallows her pride and pleads to save the prince she loves, Ian.
After filming, IU opened by saying, "I threw away all my pride in the face of love," and, mentioning her on-screen counterpart, added, "Seeing someone want to be recognized like that shows they probably still don't love fully. Love is not about wanting to be recognized," revealing a weighty conviction. She then clarified that this was not Hee-ju's perspective but "IU's philosophy," drawing attention.
Earlier, in the "이지금–mini palette" content, while talking with fellow cast members, IU also added her clear personal view on relationships, saying, "If you truly love someone, you don't keep talking about love like that."
Because she heated up the entertainment industry with a major romance with Lee Jong-suk, her calm and deep philosophy on love—unostentatious and without exaggeration—has resonated strangely with fans in light of the breakup news.
Meanwhile, IU, who has put an end to her second public relationship since debut, plans to continue active activities across music and acting following the recently concluded drama "Perfect Crown".<
[Photo] OSEN DB, video capture
[OSEN]