[Sportschosun Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] As singer and actress IU and actor Lee Jong-suk have acknowledged their breakup after nearly four years of dating in public, an earlier breakup rumor and recent "breakup signals" that fans had been discussing are drawing renewed attention.
On the 10th, both agencies officially confirmed that IU and Lee Jong-suk had ended their romantic relationship and decided to remain good colleagues. The two began dating publicly in December 2022 and were loved as one of the entertainment industry's most high-profile couples, but they have now gone their separate ways after about four years together.
In fact, this was not the first breakup rumor surrounding the pair.
Last year, after IU was seen celebrating her birthday with BTS's V and actress Kang Han-na, breakup rumors about the two spread rapidly online. At the time, some speculated, "They haven't been seen together lately" and "It seems like they're focusing only on their own activities," but a close source dismissed the rumors, saying, "The two are still seeing each other well." Even after that, the couple continued their public relationship without either side issuing a separate statement.
Now that the breakup has been made official, fans are revisiting the past and reacting by saying, "So there were already signs."
On online communities, people are again talking about how the two rarely mentioned each other over the past year and how public sightings noticeably decreased. Some fans looked back on the atmosphere at the time, writing, "There used to be frequent updates and sightings, but it has been quiet lately," and "As each of them kept working on their own projects, news about them naturally became less frequent."
In particular, fan communities are drawing attention as old posts are being reshared, including comments such as, "There is just no buzz these days," "There has been almost no news lately," and "I felt uneasy for no reason."
Meanwhile, IU has remained active this year as both a singer and an actress. After meeting viewers in the first half of the year through the drama Perfect Crown, she released her remake album, Flower Bookmark 3, and is also busy preparing a new album and concerts.
Lee Jong-suk is also focusing on his next project. He is preparing to film the upcoming drama The Remarried Empress and continues his acting career while handling schedules in Korea and overseas.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
