D.P. actor Koo Kyo-hwan and director Lee Ok-seop were married all along — for four years

Actor Koo Kyo-hwan and director Lee Ok-seop, long known as one of the Korean film industry's most enduring couples, have actually been husband and wife for four years.

Xportsnews learned that Koo and Lee legally married after registering their marriage in 2022. The revelation comes as a surprise because the pair had continued to be widely described as a longtime couple rather than a married one.

Koo and Lee began dating in 2013 and publicly confirmed their relationship in 2020. Two years later, they quietly registered their marriage without publicly announcing the change in their marital status.

The couple did not hold a separate wedding ceremony after registering their marriage and currently have no plans to hold one, according to sources.

Beyond their relationship, Koo and Lee have built a long creative partnership in Korea's independent film scene. Both attended the Seoul Institute of the Arts and have worked together on numerous projects, including "A Dangerous Woman," "Love Docu," "Fly to the Sky" and "Maggie." They also jointly run the production company 2X9HD.

Their collaboration has continued in recent projects. They worked together on "Your Country," a film that drew attention for starring comedian Jang Do-yeon, and "Love Counselor," which has generated interest as actor Lee Na-young's return to acting. "Love Counselor" is currently being filmed.

Koo, meanwhile, remains active as an actor. After appearing in "Once We Were Us" late last year, he went on to star in the film "Colony" and JTBC's "We Are All Trying Here."

He is currently appearing in "Revival Man: The Red," which opened in theaters Wednesday, while another film, "White Blast," is scheduled for release later this year.

This article from Xportsnews was adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.