MANILA, Philippines – South Korean superstars IU and Lee Jong-suk’s romance may have only become public in late 2022, but their story began a full decade earlier.
The singer-actress and the actor first crossed paths as co-hosts on SBS Inkigayo in 2012, where they were known for their awkward chemistry. Over the years, the two quietly built a friendship, cheering each other on through career milestones before eventually becoming a couple.
From distant colleagues to longtime friends to finally lovers, here’s a look back on the couple’s friends-to-lovers story and their eventual break-up:
2012: Distant colleagues?
IU (real name Lee Ji-eun) and Jong-suk meet on the South Korean music program SBS Inkigayo as co-hosts of the show. She has been hosting for over a year by the time Jong-suk joins her. Their dynamic on-screen is famously distant, and many rumors later begin to circulate that they do not have a good relationship off-screen.
