South Korean actor Goo Kyo-hwan (구교환) and director Lee Ok-seop (이옥섭) have reportedly been married for some time. The couple, long considered a prominent "long-term couple" in the film industry, has now been confirmed to have completed their marriage registration four years ago, officially becoming legal spouses. The news has come as a surprise to many.
According to an exclusive report by Korean media outlet Xports News on October 1, Goo Kyo-hwan and Lee Ok-seop completed their marriage registration in 2022, officially elevating their relationship from a couple to husband and wife. Previously known as a "13-year long-term couple," the revelation that they had already married has unexpectedly sparked widespread discussion.
Goo Kyo-hwan and Lee Ok-seop began dating in 2013 and only officially went public with their relationship in 2020. After announcing their romance, the public generally assumed they were still in a long-term dating phase. However, just two years later, in 2022, the couple quietly completed their marriage registration.
Notably, the couple did not hold a separate wedding ceremony after registering their marriage, and reportedly have no plans for a wedding banquet or ceremony at present. They have thus lived as a "low-key couple" ever since.
Goo Kyo-hwan's agency, NAMOO ACTORS, also released an official statement on October 1, saying: "Actor Goo Kyo-hwan and director Lee Ok-seop have long trusted and relied on each other as lovers, and completed their marriage registration in 2022, becoming husband and wife."
The agency further revealed that throughout their journey, the two have been not only lovers but also each other's closest work partners and family, always by each other's side. "We hope everyone will offer warm blessings and support for the future of these two, who have always been a steadfast source of strength for one another," the statement read. It also added: "In the future, actor Goo Kyo-hwan and director Lee Ok-seop will continue to work hard in their respective fields, and we hope to see them through excellent works."
Goo Kyo-hwan and Lee Ok-seop are not only lovers but also excellent professional partners. Both alumni of Seoul Institute of the Arts, they have frequently collaborated since they started dating in 2013. They have jointly participated in numerous works, including A Boy's Sister (4년차 보경), A Film About Love (오늘의 영화: 연애 다큐멘터리), Fly To The Sky, and Maggie (메기), and even co-manage the production company 2X9HD.
Even after marriage, their collaborations have not ceased. Recently, they have worked together on the film Your Country and Love Consultant (사랑 고문), which is considered Lee Na-young's comeback project. Love Consultant is currently in full swing with filming.
Meanwhile, Goo Kyo-hwan's career in the entertainment industry has also been very active in recent years. Starting with the film Kill Boksoon (길복순) released last year, he has appeared in the film The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey (방법: 재차의) and the JTBC drama Aema (에마). He also recently met audiences through the film Revival Man (부활남), which premiered on September 30, and the film Snowy Road (폭설) is scheduled for release within this year.
Having dated for 13 years and secretly registered their marriage four years ago, the couple's journey from campus sweethearts to work partners and now spouses has unexpectedly brought renewed attention to their quiet and enduring relationship.
