On September 24, a video titled “ZoZazz Has Changed Since Going Viral… Lee Dong-hwi and Gray Reveal Drunken Stories” was uploaded to singer ZoZazz’s YouTube channel.
In the clip, Lee Dong-hwi joined his close friends JoJazz and producer GRAY for a lighthearted chat that eventually turned deeply personal.
What started as friendly banter soon shifted to a heartfelt discussion on relationships. When ZoZazz teased, “Dong-hwi doesn’t seem too worried about dating. Gray is actually the one who’s not that active,” Lee Dong-hwi playfully responded, “Then am I the active one?”
ZoZazz replied, “You’re probably the most proactive man in Korea!”
Smiling, Lee Dong-hwi admitted, “I really think you need to be proactive about marriage. I used to want to marry early, but now I feel like I’m late. Time moves too fast.”
He added a tender reflection about his family: “If I have children later, my parents might have less time to spend with their grandchildren. That’s why I feel the urgency.”
When ZoZazz jokingly asked, “Don’t your parents say you’re not marrying because you’re too busy raising your cats?” Lee Dong-hwi laughed and replied, “They say that a lot.”
His lighthearted answer subtly revealed the generational pressures surrounding marriage in Korean society — where even casual family remarks can feel like expectations. Still, Lee Dong-hwi concluded decisively, “I think I should get married soon.”
This moment carried special weight as it marked Lee Dong-hwi’s first public comment on marriage since his breakup with Jung Ho-yeon, ending their nine-year relationship in November 2024. At the time, both sides stated they had “decided to remain good colleagues.”
Lee Dong-hwi and Jung Ho-yeon were one of the most beloved celebrity couples in Korea. Throughout their relationship, they often mentioned each other in interviews and variety shows with warmth and humor.
In 2021, Jung Ho-yeon appeared on You Quiz on the Block, teasing, “I told him I’d appear on the show before he did — and I actually made it first!”
In March 2024, Lee Dong-hwi shared on the YouTube channel DdeunDdeun that Jung Ho-yeon once surprised him with a personal video message from David Beckham, arranged during one of her magazine shoots. “I’m a huge Beckham fan. When I saw it, I almost cried,” he recalled.
A month later, Jung Ho-yeon appeared on the same channel, laughing as she revealed the behind-the-scenes story of how she made that gift happen, saying, “When you’ve been together that long, you have to make time for fun dates — even if you force it.”
Their breakup after nearly a decade together left fans heartbroken, having witnessed their affection so publicly.
Now 40, Lee Dong-hwi reflects on love and life with maturity and calm optimism. While he hasn’t shared any concrete plans, his words suggest that he’s ready to embrace a new chapter.
Lee Dong-hwi debuted in 2013 with Southern Superhero and rose to fame through Reply 1988 (2015). His filmography includes hits like Veteran, Extreme Job, The Roundup 4, Pegasus Market, Casino, and Chief Detective 1958. He recently attended the New York Asian Film Festival with his self-produced film Method Acting.
From an emotional breakup to a renewed perspective on love, Lee Dong-hwi’s candid confession shows a man ready to move forward — not with regret, but with quiet determination.
Sources: Segye Ilbo
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