Jung Kyung-ho and Choi Sooyoung close 14 years in the spotlight

Jung Kyung-ho and Choi Sooyoung have ended their 14-year public relationship. The breakup was officially confirmed on June 9, 2026, and rather than offering a lengthy private explanation, both stars are continuing with their respective professional schedules.

The two are known as alumni of Chung-Ang University's Department of Theater and Film. They developed into a couple in September 2012 and, for many years, were referred to as one of Korea's long-running public celebrity couples. Even while maintaining a public relationship, they built their names through their own bodies of work rather than through variety-show-style displays of their romance.

The relationship began in 2012 and its end was officially confirmed in 2026. The news has drawn wide attention not only because the relationship lasted so long, but also because fans and viewers have spent many years watching both careers unfold side by side.

Caution is needed when discussing the reason for the breakup. It has been reported that the relationship was naturally brought to a close as the two met less frequently, but anything beyond that has not been confirmed. What is currently verified is that the relationship has ended, and that neither Jung Kyung-ho nor Choi Sooyoung is stopping their activities.

For Korean actor Jung Kyung-ho, the next public project on his schedule is ENA's new drama "Hokhaneun Romance." The series is a romantic comedy about star anchor Na I-jun, who is going through early menopause, and broadcast writer Seo Hae-yoon, who is chasing viewership ratings. As they try to save a program facing cancellation, the two begin opening their hearts to each other.

"Hokhaneun Romance" is scheduled to air on ENA and be released through Jini TV in the first half of 2027. Jeon Yeo-been, Choi Dae-hoon, and Kang Mal Geum are also listed among the cast members.

Jung Kyung-ho drew renewed attention after "Crash Course in Romance" as an actor who can bring quick dialogue and lived-in humor together within a single scene. In clips posted on tvN's official YouTube channel, the rhythm of scenes set in a classroom and inside a car stands out first. In the new project, his strength in persuading viewers through the pace of speech and shifts in expression, rather than pushing big emotions too heavily, is expected to move back to the foreground.

Choi Sooyoung has continued acting while drawing on her K-pop career as a member of Girls' Generation. More recently, she played star lawyer Maeng Se-na in ENA drama "Idol Eye," taking on the legal romance genre. The drama is known to have begun airing on December 22, 2025, and continued into January 2026.

For Choi Sooyoung, time has continued to move beyond the simple label of an actor from an idol background. The public recognition she gained through group activities remains a strong asset, but inside a drama she still has to make a character's profession and emotions convincing. Through "Run On," "Namnam (Not Others)," and "Idol Eye," she has shifted toward holding scenes for longer within relationship-centered works.

Her activities moving between Korea and Japan also remain notable. Girls' Generation's long-established overseas fandom, Choi Sooyoung's individual acting career, and her experience on Japanese-language stages overlap, leaving options that extend beyond appearances in Korean dramas.

The breakup of Jung Kyung-ho and Choi Sooyoung is major news because it marks the end of a public relationship that lasted for a long time. Jung Kyung-ho is preparing for a new romantic comedy in the first half of 2027, while Choi Sooyoung continues to carry both her acting career and K-pop-based activities forward. Their names are set to be called again less through private explanations than through the works and stages they will reveal next.