Kim Min-Hee
Kim Min-HeeReuters

One of South Korea's controversial couples -- Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo -- has parted ways. According to the latest news, the Korean actress decided to walk away from her one year old relationship due to reasons concerning her work.

According to a Soompi report, the 34-year-old actress ended her relationship with Hong due to her hectic work schedule.

"The Handmaiden" star, who is currently in the U.S., is working on her next film and decided that a break from the 54-year-old director is "the best choice for her future." 

Sources said that although the two have broken up, they still share a close relationship. One insider said that Kim and Hong have been in touch even though she isn't in the country.

The source further added that their relationship isn't exactly conventional. Soompi quoted the insider as saying, "Their relationship is not like what people think it is."

The source added: "They shared a friendship as film people and did not have a secret wedding and are not adulterers. They became close after Director Hong left his home and Kim Min Hee took care of him; they're not lovers." 

Kim and Hong's relationship was widely reported in the Korean media earlier this year. The "Night and Day" director left his wife and moved in with Kim when they began dating. Film insiders said Kim's former agency Forest Entertainment refused to renew her contract when their relationship became public.

Kim is a highly acclaimed Korean actress who has worked in films such as "Right Now Wrong Then," "No Tears for the Dead" and "Very Ordinary Couple," among others.