Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's relationship and breakup timeline from TV to real life
Between November 2015 and January 2016, Sung Deok-sun and Kim Jung-hwan captured the hearts of Reply 1988 viewers. Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol shared a romance that began as they filmed the show and ended eight years later in 2023. Unlike their onscreen characters, the co-stars had a direct romantic relationship.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's profile summaries
- The evolution of Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's relationship
- October 2015: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol first connect as Reply 1988 filming begins
- December 2015: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol share playful exchanges on Instagram
- January 2016: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol speak about their bond as Reply 1988 concludes
- March 2016: Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri reunite at the Reply 1988 gratitude concert
- October 2016: Yeolri makes it big at the tvN10 Awards
- August 2017: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's agencies confirm dating rumours
- November 2019: Hyeri describes her relationship with Ryu Jun-yeol
- June 2021: Hyeri addresses breakup rumours
- November 2023: Hyeri and Jun-yeol call it quits
- March 2024: Ryu Jun-yeol gets involved with Han So-hee
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol first met in mid-2015 and developed feelings for each other while filming the K-drama Reply 1988.
- They played the second lead couple in Reply 1988, Deok-sun and Jung-hwan, who miss out on their chance at love.
- The co-stars officially confirmed their relationship in August 2017, through their agencies, C-JeS Entertainment and DreamT Entertainment.
- Hyeri and Ryu dated for about eight years before breaking up in November 2023.
Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's profile summaries
Full name | Lee Hye-ri | Ryu Jun-yeol |
Korean name | 이혜리 | 류준열 |
Nickname | Hyeri, Hyell, Riri, Nation's Little Sister | Ryu, Anthony |
Gender | Female | Male |
Date of birth | 9 June 1994 | 25 September 1986 |
Age | 31 years (as of February 2026) | 39 years (as of February 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Gemini | Libra |
Place of birth | Gonjiam-eup, Gwangju-si, South Korea | Suwon-si, South Korea |
Nationality | South Korean | South Korean |
Ethnicity | Asian | Asian |
Height in feet | 5'4" | 6' |
Height in centimetres | 166 | 183 |
Weight in pounds | 120 | 154 |
Weight in kilograms | 54 | 70 |
Eye colour | Hazel | Hazel |
Hair colour | Dark brown | Black |
Relationship status | Undisclosed | Single |
Profession | Actress, singer | Actor |
Social media |
The evolution of Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's relationship
Hyeri and Ryu Ju-yeol shared a highly publicised celebrity love story between 2017 and 2023, even gaining couple names such as Yeolri and the nation's couple. From co-stars to long-time romantic partners, their relationship fulfilled fans' hopes for their characters in Reply 1988.
October 2015: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol first connect as Reply 1988 filming begins
Source: Twitter
Reply 1988 is a focal point in Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's dating history. The couple initially met while filming the K-drama series in 2015. The cast's first meeting and script reading sessions were held on 30 October 2015.
In the film series, the couple played Sung Deok-sun and Kim Jung-hwan, childhood friends and next-door neighbours. Throughout the film, Jung-hwan held deep feelings of love for Deok-sun but was never able to act on them until it was too late.
December 2015: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol share playful exchanges on Instagram
Source: Twitter
The growing chemistry between Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol became apparent through their lighthearted interactions on social media. According to Insight, Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri sent netizens into a frenzy after interacting on one of his Instagram posts.
The post published on 17 December 2015 featured Ryu in a photo from his 1st Look magazine shoot. In the caption of the post, Ryu wrote;
I love you. Please love me.
Hyeri commented on the post, asking,
Who is this?
Source: Instagram
In response, Ryu playfully teased back by leaving the same question on Hyeri's Audrey Hepburn-inspired Instagram photo. The image featured the actress in a classic black dress, an updo hairstyle, and a tiara.
Source: Instagram
Ryu also jokingly commented on a second photo of Hyeri that was taken in an outdoor restaurant. The sulking K-drama actress sported her signature straight bob, an 80's hairstyle set to match the series, Reply 1988.
In his comment, Ryu referenced her character in the series, stating,
Ah~ Duk Sun~
January 2016: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol speak about their bond as Reply 1988 concludes
Source: Instagram
On 6th and 9th January 2019, Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol shared Instagram photos with their castmates. Hyeri's post reminisced on their shared memories.
The excitement of our first meeting has been replaced by regret and longing, making it so passionate. We loved each other, love each other, and will love each other.
Later in the month, Ryu gave a few spoilers of the finale episode on Naver's live video streaming service, VApp. In the episode, Jung Hwan finally confessed his feelings to Duk Sun. He revealed that;
When we filmed the scene, Hyeri cried so much... She also personally felt like she was saying goodbye to Junghwan. She probably felt like she wouldn’t be able to interact with Junghwan in the future, and she cried a lot because of it. She cried to the point where we weren’t able to continue filming.
In an interview with KBS2TV’s Entertainment Weekly segment held on 23 January, Ryu addressed his preference for a co-star, admitting that he would want to act with Hyeri again.
March 2016: Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri reunite at the Reply 1988 gratitude concert
Source: Instagram
On 5 March 2016, the Reply 1988 drama concert was held at the Grand Peace Palace of Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea. In a segment dubbed Love Line, Famous Lines Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri discussed behind-the-scenes stories during filming as well as their famous scenes and lines.
October 2016: Yeolri makes it big at the tvN10 Awards
Source: Facebook
On 9 October, Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri won the Rising Star or Popular Actor awards for their roles as the second lead couple in Reply 1988. The couple shared an embrace before receiving the award and held hands as they went up and down the stage.
In their acceptance speeches, they thanked castmates, production teams, and their fans and shared their hope for a future in the acting scene. The South Korean musician also mentioned her co-star and partner in the speech, saying,
I'm happy to receive an award with Jun-yeol oppa.
The couple also reunited publicly later in the year at the 2017 MBC Drama Awards, where Hyeri was in attendance, and Ryu Jun-yeol presented the Youth Award for Best Young Actor.
August 2017: Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's agencies confirm dating rumours
Source: Facebook
On 16 August, the agency representing Hyeri, DreamT Entertainment, put out a statement confirming the actor's romantic involvement with Hyeri. According to the Inquirer, the statement read,
Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol developed their friendship into a relationship and have been dating. As they started dating recently, please watch them with warm attention.
Ryu Jun-yeol's agency, C-JeS Entertainment, also addressed and confirmed the rumours about their romantic involvement.
Dispatch also published paparazzi photos of the couple on a discreet date by Sukchon Lake in the same month. Earlier in the month, Hyeri was spotted visiting him in an apartment in Oksu.
November 2019: Hyeri describes her relationship with Ryu Jun-yeol
Source: Instagram
In a 19 November press conference about her concluded film, Miss Lee, Hyeri described their relationship dynamic:
Although we're busy, we're happily dating. I think I meet him as much as I meet the Girl's Day members.
She also expressed concern that her relationship took centre stage in interviews, despite having a successful acting career.
June 2021: Hyeri addresses breakup rumours
Source: Facebook
In 2021, breakup rumours began circulating. In June, the couple were seen together on a date at a Room Escape cafe, dispelling the speculation about their relationship status. A report by KbizoOm confirmed the sighting by revealing details of an interaction the couple had with a fan.
November 2023: Hyeri and Jun-yeol call it quits
On November 13, News1 reported that Ryu Jun-yeol and Hyeri called it quits after about eight years together. According to Soompi, both actors' agencies confirmed the rumours.
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In the same month, Korean actress Han Soo-hee posted a seemingly innocent photo of herself at Jun-yeol's art exhibition, A Wind Runs Through It and Other Stories.
March 2024: Ryu Jun-yeol gets involved with Han So-hee
Source: Facebook
In 2024, Ryu was accused by netizens of EXchange or Hwanseung yeonae, a Korean term that translates to transit love or transfer love, in reference to his involvement with Han So-hee soon after his breakup. Speculations about the nature of their relationship began after the two were sighted on vacation in Hawaii on 15th March.
On the same day, Hyeri unfollowed Jun-yeol and posted a cryptic message of tropical palm trees and a message, 'This is funny.'
Although So-hee initially responded by refuting the claims, she later confirmed that she was dating the Alienoid actor on her personal blog on March 16. She also noted that by the time they had started connecting emotionally, Hyeri and Ryu had broken up.
Source: Twitter
On 18 March, Hyeri posted a public apology addressing the social media storm surrounding her and her former partner. The open letter, partly read,
First, I would like to apologise for the controversies and speculations caused by my own emotions... The decision to end our relationship wasn't made quickly, and even after the articles were published, we spoke about further discussing our relationship.
She added,
However, after that conversation, we have never spoken and have never seen each other. I think when I read the news 4 months later, I received the news as Lee Hye-ri, the person, rather than the actress.
The controversial relationship between Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee ended two weeks later.
FAQs
- What happened between Lee Hye-ri and Ryu Jun-yeol? The K-drama actors broke up after a highly publicised relationship.
- How long were Hyeri and Ryu together? They initially met in 2015 and broke up in 2023 after an eight-year love story.
- Did Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol reunite? The highly anticipated reunion at the Reply 1988 2025 anniversary celebrations between Hyeri and Ryu did not materialise.
- Are Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee still together? The couple broke up in March 2024 after accusations of EXchange or Hwanseung yeonae.
- What happened between Lee Hye-ri and Han So-hee? In March 2024, the South Korean actresses were locked in a public spat over Han So-hee's relationship with Ryu, four months after his break-up with Hyeri.
- Why did Hyeri apologise? Both Hyeri and Han So-hee apologised for their emotional remarks on social media in March 2024.
- Is Lee Hye-ri in a relationship? Hyeri, a member of the K-pop girl group Girl's Day, has not publicly disclosed her relationship status and is rumoured to be in a relationship with choreographer Chae Woo-tae.
Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol's relationship journey began as co-stars on Reply 1988. However, the love that failed in the drama came true in real life with a relationship that lasted for about eight years. The couple's relationship was made public in August 2017 and ended in November 2023.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
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