"King and Queen": Fans rejoice as IU and Lee Jong-suk showcase their global influence in the 2023 Hallyu Star Overseas survey

On March 10, actor Lee Jong-suk and singer-actress IU were ranked among the top five globally famous Korean celebrities and actors in South Korea in the coveted Hallyu Star Overseas 2023 survey conducted and published by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE).

The men who ranked first in the actors category were Lee Min-ho, followed by Gong Yoo, Hyun Bin, Song Hye-kyo, and finally Lee Jong Suk. Furthermore, IU ranked fifth among the singers category in which BTS ranked first, closely followed by BLACKPINK, PSY, and Twice.

As soon as the survey was published, netizens could not contain their excitement and stated on various social media platforms that the latest Korean couple have been rising together:

“Lee-Lee couple supremacy”: Fans go gaga over Lee Jong-suk and IU’s global influence and reach in this year's Hallyu Star Overseas survey

It is a known fact among K-drama fans that IU and Lee Jong-suk have been dating and are currently considered one of the most powerful couples in the South Korean entertainment industry. It is ironic to note that the duo have been dubbed the "Lee-Lee couple" as both the actors share the same surname.

Additionally, IU has been ranked at no.1 position in the Hallyu artist category in China, showcasing her influence in countries outside South Korea. She is also deemed the first and only Korean soloist to rank first in the singers/group category. Fans are overwhelmed seeing the idol's success, with many calling her a "Queen." Check out some of these tweets below:

In December 2022, Dispatch, a South Korean media outlet famous for disclosing shocking and surprising dating news at the beginning of each year, revealed that Lee Jong-suk and IU have been dating for four months, which left fans in a frenzy globally. Fans were both elated and excited for the newest couple in town.

Following the news revealed by the media outlet, representatives from both the artists' agencies confirmed that the two have indeed been dating each other with "good intentions" and wish to have the love and support of the fans. Later in a confirmation, the duo also shared heartfelt letters with their fans, confirming their status and how they feel about each other.

In other news, Lee Jong-suk was also spotted wearing merchandise from IU's The Golden Hour concert and attending it to showcase support for his girlfriend, leaving fans gushing everywhere.

More about Lee Jong-suk and IU

Lee Jong-suk is one of the most prominent Korean actors in South Korea, who is known for some hit dramas including Big Mouth, I Hear Your Voice, While You Were Sleeping, Romance is a Bonus Book, Pinocchio, School 2013, and others. The actor recently attended an event organized by the luxury fashion brand Bottega Venetta.

Meanwhile, IU is known as the 'idol of the idols' in the K-pop industry. She is also an actress and is known for her dramas including My Mister, Hotel Del Luna, and Moon Lovers. She recently appeared in the hit movie Broker, for which she received the 'Best Rookie Actress' award at the Chunsa International Film festival.

Lee Jong-suk is all set to hold his fanmeet event at the PICC Plenary Hall in Manila on April 16 while IU has been confirmed to star in the upcoming drama You Have Done Well alongside Park Bo-gum.

About the author

Kirti holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism & Mass Communication and has been a Kpop writer at SK POP since 2022. She has been following Kpop and Kdramas since the last 6 years and but has worked in the genre only in the last 3-4 years donning several several caps - social media intern, copywriter, article writer and academic writer.

Kirti likes to pen down insightful features based on Korean dramas, especially the 'Ending Explained' categories. It gives her the satisfaction of creating the most authentic content rather than simply replicating what media outlets generally do.

Her process of creating content is time-consuming, yet methodical; she prefers to use original sources of information, which in her case are Korean outlets. She watches entire episodes, writes them down, cross-checks/fact-checks the details/event timelines off the web and eventually creates her copy.

Kirti likes Lee Je-hoon, IU, and Kim Seon-ho since she feels that their dramas are inspiring and have good plotlines. When she is not writing about K-dramas, she can be found watching them.

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