Lee Jong-suk and IU Update Fans Same Day Months After Breakup

Actor Lee Jong-suk gave fans a look at his life after his split from singer IU, posting vacation photos from a beach getaway. On the same day, IU shared a very different kind of update, revealing a dramatic new look for her upcoming single.

Lee posted several photos to his social media on Monday, paired with wave and rainbow emojis. The images show the actor at a seaside resort, running across the sand with a rainbow arching over the beach behind him and taking in ocean views. In other shots, he smiles broadly at the camera and strikes playful poses.

His relaxed look drew attention too. Lee walked along the shore in a sleeveless top with a hooded zip-up tied around his waist. Other photos captured him watching the sunset over the water and enjoying meals at the resort.

The update carried extra weight because it was his first public glimpse of daily life since news of his breakup with IU broke in July.

That same day, IU also surfaced with a fresh look of her own. At midnight on Monday, she released concept photos for her new digital single "From This Star" through her official social media.

The biggest change was her hair. IU, who had kept her hair long until recently, cut it into a short bob that falls just below her jawline. In the photos, she wears a spacesuit and moves through the interior of a spacecraft, gazing at Earth through a window. Another shot shows her seated inside the ship in a gray knit sweater.

IU will release "From This Star" on Wednesday at 6 p.m. KST. The single includes two tracks, "From This Star" and "Dear my crazy soulmate," both written by IU herself. The release serves as an early preview of songs from her upcoming sixth studio album.

Lee and IU had known each other for years before confirming their relationship in December 2022. They dated publicly for about three years before announcing their breakup in July.

Both stars have kept working since the split. Lee stars in the Disney+ series "The Remarried Empress," premiering Nov. 4. IU returns to music this week with her new single.