Jang Dong-gun fell in love at first sight with Ko So Young: "Is someone that beautiful actually real?"

Actors Jang Dong-gun and Ko So Young sat before the camera together for the first time in 16 years of marriage. The two shared the timeline of their relationship spanning over 30 years, from their first meeting as rookie actors in their 20s to their development from friends to lovers, memories of their secret dating days, and their family life after marriage.

On the 18th, a video was released on Ko So Young's YouTube channel featuring Jang Dong-gun as the first guest. As the husband appeared on content hosted by his wife, their conversation naturally overflowed with private memories and affection for one another that is rarely seen on broadcast television.

Jang Dong-gun first looked back on his acting career.

Having entered the entertainment industry as a model through street casting in the early 1990s, he began his path as an actor after passing the MBC open recruitment for talents in 1992. He recalled that during his first leading role in the drama 'Our Paradise,' he even considered stepping down due to his immature acting skills, but the encouragement from his senior actor at the time, Kim Chan Woo, was a great source of strength.

While he is now considered one of the representative actors of the Republic of Korea, his starting point was filled with the anxiety and worries of a rookie who was not confident in his potential as a performer.

And the person who remained special in Jang Dong-gun's memory was none other than Ko So Young.

Recalling the moment he first saw Ko So Young in her early 20s, Jang Dong-gun said, "I first saw Ko So Young while passing by the Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong in a car," adding, "I thought, 'Is there actually a person that beautiful in real life?'"

Ko So Young also revealed her first impression of Jang Dong-gun at the time.

She recalled Jang Dong-gun as being "handsome like a sculpture, but with a calm and pure model student vibe." In essence, one side remembered him for "beauty so great you wonder if such a person actually exists," while the other remembered his "sculpted appearance and model student atmosphere."

However, their relationship did not begin as a romance from the start.

They grew closer while filming the movie 'Love Wind Love Song' in 1999, but at that time, they were closer to colleagues and friends who supported each other for a long time. Given that they did not immediately develop into lovers after working on a project together, their current marital relationship can be seen as having been formed upon a foundation of long-term intimacy.

After becoming a couple, even a normal romance was not easy due to their status as famous actors.

The two revealed that after dating rumors surfaced, they practiced "public dates" to escape the secret dating style of wearing hats to hide their faces. They said they practiced not being conscious of people's gazes by taking off their hats, holding hands, and going out to eat Pasta.

Memories of the days when Jang Dong-gun would ride a bicycle to and from Ko So Young's house were also revealed.

This is a somewhat unfamiliar scene for a top star couple who now command such intense public attention. However, the early stages of their romance were filled with everyday moments like riding bicycles, eating meals, and traveling between homes rather than grand events.

Stories about the squid soup Ko So Young used to cook for him to relieve hangovers also emerged. Contrary to the external image of a glamorous star couple's romance, what composed their relationship was ultimately the accumulation of ordinary daily life—making food for someone, spending time together, and looking after each other's lives.

Life after marriage has not been significantly different.

Married in 2010, the two have one son and one daughter, and have continued their life as a family while raising their children. Jang Dong-gun introduced his own parenting style and daily life with the children, and revealed a family culture where the whole family watches a movie every weekend and discusses the work together.

In particular, Jang Dong-gun did not hide his affection for Ko So Young.

He highly praised his wife's individuality and charm as an actress, cheering her on by saying, "I hope you make a comeback very soon."

Beyond simply wishing for her to resume her activities as an actor, this can be read as meaning that he knows the potential of the actress Ko So Young, whom he has watched for a long time, better than anyone else.

The interesting point in their love story is that it does not remain a simple narrative of "fated love at first sight."

While the two initially left strong visual impressions on each other, their actual relationship developed slowly into lovers through time spent as friends and colleagues. In the end, what sustains love was closer to the process of understanding and accommodating each other's lives rather than the intensity of a first impression.

30 years ago, a man looking at a woman passing by on the streets of Apgujeong thinking, "Is there actually a person that beautiful in real life?" and a woman remembering him as a "sculpted model student" have now become each other's closest companions.

While celebrity romances are often consumed by the public as glamorous events, the 30 years shared by Jang Dong-gun and Ko So Young represent the opposite. It is the fact that countless ordinary days, rather than decisive moments of passion, have sustained their relationship.

Jang Dong-gun has established himself as a leading actor in Korean cinema through works such as 'Friend' and 'Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood.' He is also preparing for the release of the action noir film 'Fever,' in which he stars alongside Woo Do-hwan and Lee Hye-ri. Ko So Young continues to engage with the public through various channels alongside her acting career.