Lee Min Ho says he's considering marriage at 40 after personal loss: ‘Having a child feels like the most valuable thing

Indian Express

10 hours ago

Lee Min Ho might just be ready to say 'I do' as he approaches 40. For years, the K-drama star has reigned as the heartthrob who kept his personal life under wraps. But after the recent loss of his beloved pet, Min Ho opened up about his feelings during the press conference for his upcoming movie Omniscient Reader. He spoke about wanting to get married, though he still sees it as a distant, vague concept. That said, at this point in life, he finds himself thinking about what really matters. In that same breath, he even said he's open to fatherhood, calling it one of the most valuable things. But for him, marriage has to start with falling in love, who it's with doesn't matter.
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The actor recently shared with fans that he is reeling from the loss of his beloved dog, 'I spent a few days crying for it. I realised how much I relied on him. I have never felt like that before.' During his Seoul conference, Lee said he is at an age where he's thinking, 'I should do it, (marriage)' and admitted, 'As I go through life, I find myself thinking more about what's important.' He said that when he really stops to think about it, building a family and having a kid feels like the most valuable thing to him, according to Chosun Biz. The Heirs star added, 'But it doesn't go as intended. It feels like a miracle needs to happen for that. Marriage still feels vague, but if a moment comes where I instinctively think, 'this is a miracle,' I think I could get married.'
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Lee has previously dated and was in publicly confirmed relationships with his K-drama co-stars, including Park Min Young (What's Wrong with Secretary Kim) and Bae Suzy (While You Were Sleeping). When asked whether he has a high standard which makes it harder to actually take a relationship to the wedding phase, the actor said, 'Personally, my standards for interacting with people and potential partners seem to differ.' Lee explained that he's lived a life where he never really learned how to cherish the little things, moments of quiet joy or simple happiness, probably because he's always been in the spotlight. But that's something he now looks for in a partner. 'I think about sharing life with someone who knows what that kind of happiness feels like, and I wonder what we'd be chasing together, someone who has qualities completely absent from me.' Further, the actor was questioned whether he would consider marrying a celebrity and Lee said, 'Of course, if I love someone, that doesn't matter.'
During the same press briefing, Lee Min Ho also spoke about the burden of being a Hallyu star and the pressure that comes with it. Despite having a hard time cracking the OTT space with his recent K-dramas, Lee has continued to be labeled the top Hallyu star for 12 years straight, one of the most popular actors globally. The actor said he never chased stardom and doesn't take anything for granted, knowing well that he 'could fall anytime.' 'It all takes one simple misstep to end everything,' he said. Meanwhile, Omniscient Reader hits screens on July 23. The movie also stars BLACKPINK's Jisoo and Business Proposal lead Ahn Hyo Seop.