The collective sound of hearts breaking could be heard on June 27, 2019. K-drama reel to real life couple Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo (otherwise known as the Song-Song couple) announced the end of their short-lived marriage. It lasted just under two years.
Later that day, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing shared on social media that she broke up with fiancé Li Chen, two years after announcing their engagement. The latter had supported her during her tax evasion scandal.
Before you dramatically declare that marriage is dead, behold these long-term celebrity couples who have been hitched for at least 10 years. They’ve been through plenty together and we hope they continue to do so!
Find out who they are and pick up their best marriage advice, to build a better and lasting relationship with your other half too:
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Married for 10 years
Local celebrity golden couple Fann Wong and Christopher Lee celebrated their milestone 10th wedding anniversary on Sunday (Sep 29) with a bang. They marked the occasion with a fun family dinner with their five-year-old son, Zed, as well as close relatives at 15 Stamford by Alvin Leung. Posting on social media, the couple proved that they’re masters of mushiness as they kissed when they entered the restaurant and wore matching shirts that read “Fann + Chris = Zed” on the back.
Fann also affectionally calls Chris “ai ai”, which is the word for love in Chinese. The word “ai” is even weaved into their Instagram handle, @fannaiaiwong and @aiainbaby. Their Instagram accounts are peppered with couple shots that make us green with envy. The latest posts are shots from their family trips to Japan and Australia. In one post, the couple sits as they watch their son Zed play with a deer in Japan, looks of contentment on their faces. You can practically see hearts shooting out of their eyes.
In a Father’s Day post dedicated to Chris (below), the family are pictured running in the rain. Fann’s captioned the photo as, “Rain or shine , you are always there
My pillar of strength and support Happy Father’s Day.” It’s no wonder they were named the couple with the “Best Chemistry” on Chinese reality show ‘Let’s Go, Love’ in 2015.
Talking about the benefits of appearing on a show with Chris, Fann said: “It’s nice because I get to bully him. When I’m tired, I’ll just lie on his shoulders and whine a little. I can’t possibly do that to other actors right?”
But Chris has some major competition now, he said in half-jest: “Now that she has a new love (their son Zed), I am no longer important.”
Married for 20 years
The golden couple celebrate 20 years of marriage on July 4, and posted sweet Instagram tributes proclaiming their love for each other to commemorate the huge milestone. David posted the images above with the caption: “WOW 20 years , look what we created ♥️ Love you so much”, while the former Spice Girl posted a sweet video montage of the couple through the years, saying “20 years today. I love you so much xxxxx Kisses x”:
So how do they keep the flame burning all these years? Victoria attributes it to their strong family unit. “David and I realise we are stronger together than we are as individuals,” she toldVogue last year.
“Would either of us be in the position we are in now had we not met and been together all those years? It’s all about the family unit. We are much stronger, the six of us, than we’d be if we were individuals. We respect that family bond and that is key.”
David is often seen sitting at the front row of Victoria’s fashion shows, along with their four children Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper. And when David was still playing football professionally, Victoria would be spotted supporting him from the stands. The couple first met at a charity football match in 1997 and married two years later in 1999.
Married for 22 years
Remember the famous line from Titanic, “You jump, I jump”? Will Smith and Jada Pinkett decided to pull a Jack and Rose. To celebrate Will’s 50th birthday, Jada promised to do anything for her beloved. The thrill-seeking hubby wished for his wife to skydive with him. Despite her phobia of heights, Jada took the plunge in Dubai, proving that her love for Will is much bigger than her fears.
The couple have also remained strong in the face of divorce rumours and continue to show support for one another at events and awards ceremonies. They got married in 1997 and have two kids who are also actors, Jaden and Willow.
Will and Jada are very open about their relationship and address any rumours head on through Facebook posts and interviews. The couple are said to be very trusting of each other and that’s probably why their relationship has lasted such a long time. Jada even once said, “I will throw my career away before I let it break up our marriage. I made it clear to Will. I’d throw it away completely”.
If that isn’t a real-life fairy tale, we don’t know what is. Also, you know it’s true love if someone is willing to jump out of a plane for you.
Married for 11 years
Hong Kong actress Ada Choi and her husband Max Zhang have been married for over a decade, but they’ve been together for 16 years. They pair, who have two kids and a third on the way, recently shared the secrets to their long-lasting marriage when they appeared on the Chinese reality show My Dearest Ladies.
“The most important thing about love is not to hope for the other person to change, but to respect his or her feelings,” Ada says. “Men need respect. Women need love. He would know how to love you then.”
For Max, his tip is to “save up” good memories, moments and time with each that you can fall back on when conflicts and tough times arise. He likens a relationship to saving and spending money, saying, “Quarreling and conflicts are similar to ‘spending money’. Going to the movies, shopping or eating at home together are like saving up.”
Interesting take!
Married for 13 years
The Big Little Lies actress and the country musician recently celebrated their 13th anniversary on June 25! Keith posted the photo above with a romantic caption celebrating their “thirteen years of magic, music, romance, wild adventures, and the ongoing discovery of pure love”, calling Nicole his “babygirl”. Aww!
The couple met in 2005 and got married in Australia a year later, four years after Nicole’s divorce from Tom Cruise.
Nicole reveals their secret to a happy marriage: setting boundaries in the home. This means leaving work at the door when they come home so they’re wholly present with each other.
“I used to have an office in my house and I just got rid of it – it’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” Nicole tells Harper’s Bazaar. “We don’t have a TV in our bedroom, we’re that couple. I highly recommend that. And no computers in bed.”
We hear you, Nicole!
Married for 14 years
The Iron Man star and his wife Susan, a film producer, have been married since 2005 and have two children together (not counting their third “baby”, the production company they launched together called Team Downey). It’s no secret that the actor went through some rough times in the late 1990s to early 2000s, and he credits his wife for helping him through his drug and alcohol problems and jumpstarting his career.
“The old saying is true – behind every good man there’s an incredible woman. I owe a huge amount – if not all – of my success to Susan. We make a great team, and all that luck I spoke about, that’s Susan,” he tells The Herald in 2012.
Since they work together too, Susan says the key to their successful marriage is knowing when your partner needs some time alone. “Whether you’re working together all the time or not, you always have to give each other space and kind of read it,” she tells People.
“There is always that thing of love and respect,” Robert says. “It is work, but it’s just so nice.”
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Married for 27 years
The former first couple of the USA are admired for their strong relationship, and aren’t afraid to be openly affectionate with each other in public. But it’s not always been a bed or roses. In her memoir Becoming, Michelle opens up on their marital struggles, especially in their early years of marriage when they encountered fertility issues.
She reveals that Barack and her attended couples therapy, where they learned to communicate with each other meaningfully.
In an interview with ABC News in November 2018, she says, “I want [young couples] to know that Michelle and Barack Obama, who have a phenomenal marriage and who love each other, we work on our marriage. And we get help with our marriage when we need it.” Respect.
Married for 24 years
Since their wedding in 1995, Hugh and Deborra have managed to keep their marriage low-key and slightly out of the public eye. Despite hitting it big on the silver screen, the superstar actor admits that his relationship was built on trust and because his wife is his “foundation, that is the rock, that is the foundation of our family and therefore my life”.
And to maintain their bond, Hugh reveals the golden rule that keep them together. “We are not going to spend more than two weeks apart, and we are not going to work at the same time if we don’t have to financially,” he tells Today. “So one of us is always there to support the other.”
Married for 22 years
In an interview with Meredith Vieira, Matthew reveals that he and Sarah share an unbreakable friendship.
“We are friends beyond everything else and we talk a lot. Keep talking I guess, I know how cliche that is. Too much silence is definitely not a good idea.”
Sarah, on the other hand, emphasises the importance of embracing each other’s growth as you journey through life together.
“Your needs are shifting. You and your partner are going to change. It seems so silly, but I think you’re very lucky if you like the person. I still just really like him. I’m sure I annoy him and he annoys me, but I literally learn about him every day. I’m like, ‘You’re doing what? You’re reading what?’”
Together for 33 years
When Oprah and Stedman got engaged in 1992 but never went through with a wedding ceremony, rumours circulated that the relationship wasn’t working out.
However, Oprah addressed these rumours and effectively explained her reasons for not wanting to get married, “It’s not because I never had time—if I wanted to get married, I could’ve made the time. I’m not a traditional woman and I haven’t had a traditional life, and I think that had Stedman and I gotten married, we certainly wouldn’t have stayed married.”
Also, if you’ve been together this long, you’re practically married. How do they do it?
Oprah reveals that her idea of a perfect date night “is to make him black-eyed peas and cornbread as a surprise for dinner. Me cooking and then it’s on.” Sometimes, you just need someone to be there for you at the end of the day.
Married for 17 years
Relationships are a constant work in progress and Freddie definitely knows that. The actor told Huffington Post, “We were fortunate enough to be at the right times in our lives where we both wanted something serious and it worked. So we’re lucky, but we also work very hard at it. It’s not just dumb luck, it’s work.”
Here are other celeb couples who have been married for less than 10 years but are still going strong:
Married for five years
Five years doesn’t sound long, but it’s basically a lifetime in Hollywood. We can’t imagine what it’s like to be married to Hollywood’s former most eligible bachelor but, Amal sure makes it look easy. They met through a mutual friend in 2013, got hitched the following year, and welcomed twins Ella and Alexander in 2017.
Prior to getting married, George dated plenty of actresses and models including Renee Zellweger, Krista Allen and Elisabetta Canalis. However, Amal never allowed insecurities to get to her.
Amal makes it a point to attend George’s film premieres and is usually by his side at important events and galas. George too honours his wife’s accomplishments as an international human rights lawyer (she’s represented Julian Assange and former Ukraine prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko), in interviews.
On David Letterman’s talk show, George put his deep love for Amal into words. “Before I had the twins, I felt that about her. I felt that I met someone who I would absolutely trade my life for. I met someone that her life meant more to me than my life and I’ve never had that experience before.”
Married for six years, together for 11
This power couple have been together for a decade, although they’ve only been wedded for about six years. Their recipe for marital bliss? Humour.
“My wife makes me laugh all the time. I make her laugh occasionally. Everyone knows she’s funnier than I am,” says the crooner, who is often the butt of Chrissy’s hilarious tweets and Instagram posts.
John also stresses the importance of loving and respecting the other person. “I think that’s the foundation of who we are as a couple and we actually enjoy each other’s company.”
Married for six years
When K-pop sex siren Hyori got hitched in 2013, fans were outraged. They were appalled at their idol’s shocking choice of spouse, calling the union “Beauty & The Beast”.
Why? Because her oppa’s looks weren’t up to K-pop star standards. But the loving couple has the last laugh. Six years on, they are still going strong, proving detractors wrong.
The popular Netflix reality show, Hyori’s Bed & Breakfast, gave us a glimpse into the low-key couple’s daily life. Singer-songwriter Sang Soon and Hyori had turned their private Jeju home into a cozy bed and breakfast, opening it up to guests visiting the area.
We can see why the couple are a good match. Her fun-loving, feisty personality complements his soft-spoken manner.
They share a common love for animals. In season two, the couple’s pet count stood at nine: Three cats and six dogs. All the dogs are strays. In fact, the couple met because of their work for animal rights groups. He produced Hyori’s charity single to raise funds for abandoned animals.
“We became closer when Sang Soon contacted me about helping to raise an abandoned dog,” Hyori once told the media. “We also got close when he helped me with my song release… “Because he’s also raising a stray dog, us taking care of the stray dog together has become a part of my daily life.”
Now that’s a paw-some love story.
Married for seven years
It’s not always about sweet nothings. A study by Jeffrey Hall from the University of Kansas has shown that couples who troll each other — i.e. they can have a laugh together — stay happy together. It makes perfect sense. A shared sense of humour signals an understanding of each other, which translates into a stronger relationship. Oh, it also shows you know how to have fun.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are living proof of this. They take pride in roasting each other whenever possible — on a talk show, in an interview or on social media.
Who could forget Ryan’s speech at the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016? He gushed over his wife Blake, saying: ”You make absolutely everything in my life better… You made me the father of my dreams when I thought I only had ‘fun uncle’ potential.”
Of course, Ryan had a kicker in mind: “You are the best thing — the best thing — that has ever happened to me, second only to this star. It’s the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cut me some slack here.”
Blake isn’t too bad herself.
In an “accusatory” IG post of Ryan and co-star Helen Mirren, Blake captioned: “Should I be concerned that my husband’s never looked at me this way?… #WhereAreThoseEyesWanderingReynolds #HelenMirrenIStheSexiestWomanAlive #WomanInGold”
Married for eight years, but together for 10
They are Asia’s Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Just like the Hollywood couple, Christine and Blackie’s show of affection ranges from hilarious to heartwarming. Blackie has a penchant for pranks and his wife is often his victim.
Case in point: When they are out jogging, he tricks her into thinking there’s a cockroach. When getting Christine to pose for a photo, he is actually filming her. He smacks her butt when she plays hide and seek with their sons.
Just like how schoolboys tease girls they like at the playgroup, Blackie’s practical jokes are an expression of love for his wife. But Blackie is also a sweetheart.
When Christinem who’s a singer-songwriter, held a Shanghai concert on Valentine’s Day this year, Blackie turned up unannounced at the show with their twin sons, River and Ryan.
Onstage, Blackie said: “We’ve been together for 18 years. It’s considered a feat in show business. A lot of things have happened over the past 18 years… a lot of sweet things.”
Married for four years
If diabetes could spread by sight, you’d have to avoid Jay Chou and Hannah Quinlivan. They are the culprits behind several saccharine Instagram posts that are so sweet they are giving us a headache. Just take a look at the evidence.
When sharing a celebratory post for his son’s birthday, Jay found a way to praise his wife in the caption: “Happy birthday to my cool son 
Jaylen Romeo, I hope that you will grow up and diligently master the piano. This way, like daddy, you will also be able to marry a beautiful wife haha”. Cue ‘awws’.
When Hannah was filming in Malaysia, Jay apparently showed up on set with some bubble tea. That might sound like nothing to shout about, except Hannah had earlier that day left a comment on Jay’s Instagram asking for a cup of bubble tea.
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Text: Elizabeth Liew and Gwen Ng
This post was first published on April 11, 2018, and updated on July 4, 2019.
