Joong Ki: Family, Marriages, and Children Timeline

Few Korean actors have captured global attention for both their on-screen roles and off-screen personal milestones quite like Song Joong-ki. From his record-breaking drama Descendants of the Sun to his highly publicized marriage and divorce with co-star Song Hye-kyo, his personal timeline has been a subject of constant curiosity — now, as a father of two with his wife Katy Louise Saunders, the story of his family is still unfolding.

Full name: Song Joong-ki · Born: September 19, 1985 · Ex-wife: Song Hye-kyo (m. 2017–2019) · Current wife: Katy Louise Saunders (m. 2023) · Children: Two (son born June 2023, daughter born November 2024)

Eight data points that define Song Joong-ki, one pattern: a career marked by meteoric success and a personal life that has played out in the public eye with equal intensity.

Does Joong Ki have a child?

Yes, Song Joong-ki has two children with his wife Katy Louise Saunders: a son born in June 2023 and a daughter born in November 2024. The announcements came through his agency, HighZium Studio, and were covered by entertainment news outlets.

Song Joong-ki’s first child with Katy Louise Saunders

• The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in June 2023 (IMDb News (entertainment industry database)).
• The birth was reported to have taken place in Rome.

Song Joong-ki’s second child announcement

• On July 8, 2024, HighZium Studio confirmed that the couple was expecting a second child. (IMDb News)
• Their daughter was born on November 20, 2024. (Wikipedia)

Public reaction to Joong Ki’s growing family

• Fans and media celebrated the news, with coverage focusing on how Joong-ki had become a “father of two” less than 18 months after his first son’s birth.

The implication: his private life has taken center stage over past public drama.

What happened between Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki?

The SongSong couple dominated headlines worldwide when they married in 2017, then shocked fans when they divorced two years later. The relationship began on the set of Descendants of the Sun and ended with a brief legal process.

Marriage of the SongSong couple

• Song Joong-ki married actress Song Hye-kyo on October 31, 2017. (Wikipedia)
• The wedding ceremony was held at a historic hotel in Seoul and attended by many A-list celebrities.

Divorce announcement and reasons

• The divorce was announced on June 27, 2019 and finalized in July 2019 (Koreaboo (K-pop and Korean entertainment news)).
• Both parties cited “personality differences” and conflicting work schedules as the reason.

Post-divorce public statements

• Song Joong-ki issued a statement apologizing to fans and asking for privacy.
• Song Hye-kyo also released a brief statement through her agency.

What this means: the end of their marriage marked a pivot point in his personal narrative.

Who is Joong Ki’s ex-wife?

Song Joong-ki’s ex-wife is Song Hye-kyo, one of the most famous actresses in South Korea. She has starred in hit dramas such as Descendants of the Sun (with Joong-ki) and The Glory.

Song Hye-kyo’s career and background

• Born in 1981, Song Hye-kyo is a veteran actress known for both domestic and international acclaim. (Wikipedia)
• She has won multiple acting awards and remains active in the industry.

Relationship timeline with Song Joong-ki

• The two met while filming Descendants of the Sun in 2015 and 2016, and their on-screen chemistry turned into a real-life romance.
• They married in 2017, divorced in 2019, and have had no public interaction since.

Current status of Song Hye-kyo

• As of 2024, Song Hye-kyo has not remarried and has not publicly confirmed any new relationship.
• She continues to focus on her acting career, with several projects in development.

The catch: her silence leaves room for conjecture, though no confirmed developments exist.

How did Joong Ki meet his wife?

Song Joong-ki met Katy Louise Saunders through a mutual acquaintance, not on a film set. Saunders is a British-Italian actress and model who has appeared in minor film roles.

Meeting through a mutual acquaintance

• Reports indicate that Joong-ki was introduced to Saunders through a friend (Metro.Style (lifestyle and celebrity news)).
• The relationship developed privately before being made public in 2022.

Relationship development while filming

• Joong-ki and Saunders were reportedly together during the filming of his drama The Youngest Son of a Chaebol Family (also known as Reborn Rich).

Marriage and family life

• The couple married in a private ceremony in January 2023. (Wikipedia)
• They now have two children and are based between South Korea and Europe.

The pattern: his current marriage prioritizes privacy over publicity.

What is the age gap between Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki?

Song Hye-kyo was born in 1981 and Song Joong-ki in 1985, making her four years older. In his current marriage, Katy Louise Saunders is one year older than Joong-ki.

Age difference calculations

• Song Joong-ki: born September 19, 1985. Song Hye-kyo: born November 22, 1981. (Wikipedia)
• The age gap is 4 years.

Public perception of age gap relationships

• In South Korea, age gaps where the woman is older are less common in celebrity couples, but not unusual.
• The Joong-ki/Hye-kyo age gap was widely mentioned in media coverage.

Comparison with Joong Ki’s current marriage

• Katy Louise Saunders is approximately one year older than Song Joong-ki (born 1984), a narrower gap than his previous marriage.

What this means: his preference for older partners has become a consistent thread in his personal life.

“We are happy to share that Song Joong-ki is becoming a father of two. He and his wife are overjoyed.” — HighZium Studio, via a statement reported by IMDb News

“The SongSong divorce was one of the most shocking splits in K-drama history. Fans had believed the couple was perfect.” — Koreaboo

For Song Joong-ki, the personal journey from a widely watched marriage and divorce to becoming a father of two marks a definitive pivot. The actor has built a stable family life with Katy Louise Saunders, and the 2024 birth of their daughter cements a new chapter far removed from the publicized drama of 2019. For the millions of fans and observers, the choice is clear: celebrate the happiness he has found, or continue to wonder what went wrong the first time. The data points, however, suggest a man who has moved on — and built a growing family in the process.