SEOUL – Koo Kyo-hwan, one of South Korea’s most in-demand screen actors following a string of high-profile projects including We Are All Trying Here and Colony, has been legally married to film-maker Lee Ok-seop since 2022.

Koo and Lee publicly acknowledged their relationship in 2020, but local reports on Sept 30 said that the couple had registered their marriage in 2022.

On Oct 1, Koo’s agency, Namoo Actors, confirmed to The Korea Herald that the marriage registration was official.

“Koo Kyo-hwan and Lee Ok-seop have been in a long-term relationship, supporting and relying on each other over the years. The two registered their marriage in 2022 and became legally married,” the agency said.

The agency added that the couple will continue to work together as colleagues and family, providing each other with a steadfast source of support.

Both alumni of Seoul Institute of the Arts, they met while working on the 2013 independent short film Bokyeong: 4th Grade, which marked the beginning of their relationship.

They publicly acknowledged their relationship in 2020, seven years after they began dating, and registered their marriage in 2022 after nine years together.

The couple did not hold a wedding ceremony and reportedly has no plans to do so.

Koo and Lee run independent filmmaking collective 2x9HD, through which they have collaborated on a number of projects.

Koo’s upcoming slate includes several high-profile productions.

He is set to star opposite Song Kang-ho in the comedy-drama Gardeners and alongside Kim Yun-seok in mystery-thriller White Blast.

The pair’s lat...