'I feel good': Hyeri speaks after ex-beau Ryu Jun-yeol's breakup
What's the story
Renowned K-drama actor Lee Hyeri has finally broken her silence on the highly publicized breakup of fellow actors Han So-hee and Ryu Jun-yeol.
Having been in a relationship with her Reply 1988 co-star Ryu for nearly eight years, Hyeri found herself embroiled in controversy.
Now, finally opening up on the entire matter, she stated in an interview, "I'm feeling very lucky."
Context
Why does this story matter?
Rumors surrounding Han and Ryu's relationship surfaced on March 15.
Criticism ensued due to the overlapping timelines between Ryu and Hyeri's breakup and the commencement of Ryu and Han's relationship.
The former co-stars split in November 2023—the same month Han was spotted at Ryu's photo exhibition.
Addressing concerns, Han reassured fans that there was "no overlap with his [Ryu] previous relationship with Hyeri."
She clarified that their relationship began in early 2024.
Confession
Hyeri discussed her personal life post-breakup on 'Hyeri's Club'
In a recent episode of her YouTube series, Hyeri's Club, the South Korean actor engaged in a casual conversation with comedian Jo Se-ho and actor Nam Chang-hee.
When asked about her personal life post-breakup, Hyeri confidently replied, "I feel good."
She continued, "When I showed up on the show You Quiz on the Block, the most difficult thing was that I had to talk about my story."
"But to be honest, there's nothing...I just ended up dancing on the show."
Career moves
Will she collaborate with Ryu anytime soon?
During her show, Hyeri also expressed gratitude for her current situation, stating, "I think I'm very lucky. People like me whatever I do."
Meanwhile, in a surprising turn of events, recent reports claimed that Ryu's agency C-JeS Studios acquired Hyeri's creative group ING for $1.3M.
This suggests that both former partners may soon be working under the same management.
Work-wise, Ryu is set to star in Netflix's The 8 Show, while Hyeri will feature in the film Victory.
Handling backlash
Hyeri's mature approach to dating controversy praised by online community
Throughout the dating drama, Hyeri faced criticism from a section of Han's fans after the latter defended herself against allegations of "transit love" made by Hyeri's fans.
On the other hand, a large community of social media users also lauded Hyeri for her mature handling of the controversy.
Han and Ryu, meanwhile, ended their relationship amid fan backlash just two weeks after making it public.