If I get married in the future, I want to have a relationship

“If I get married in the future, I want to have a relationship like friends with my other half. It'd be best if we can communicate often.” These gentle yet profound words, spoken by Lee Min-ho, carry a wisdom that transcends the boundaries of time, fame, and culture. They speak not only of love, but of companionship, of the sacred art of communication, and of the humble understanding that even the brightest flame must be tended daily with care and honesty. Though uttered in the language of modern hearts, this sentiment echoes the oldest truths known to humankind—the truth that love without friendship is fragile, and that marriage without understanding is hollow.

To desire a love that is like friendship is to seek a bond free from the chains of pride and pretense. In friendship, there is laughter without judgment, truth without fear, and acceptance without condition. A friend is one before whom we may stand unmasked, unguarded, unashamed. And so Lee Min-ho’s vision of marriage is not adorned with grand illusions or fiery passion alone, but rooted in the simple, enduring grace of mutual respect and open communication. For beauty fades, and passions wane, but the bond of true friendship grows deeper with every shared word, every moment of honest exchange.

In the ancient world, the philosopher Aristotle spoke of three kinds of love: the love of pleasure, the love of utility, and the love of virtue. The first two, he said, are fleeting; they vanish when desire or need is gone. But the love of virtue—the friendship between souls who delight in each other’s goodness—endures beyond time. This is the love that Lee Min-ho speaks of: a love that does not seek to possess but to understand, a love that thrives not on silence but on communication, the bridge between two hearts that keeps them ever close even when the world grows loud.

Consider the story of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher. Amidst the duties of empire and the storms of fate, he found in his wife Faustina a companion who shared his burdens and joys alike. Though history tells of their challenges, Aurelius wrote not of dominance or distance, but of gratitude—for her counsel, her humor, her partnership. Their bond was not one of grandeur but of shared humanity, two souls speaking truth across the silence of power. In their union we see the reflection of Lee Min-ho’s dream: not the perfection of love, but its constancy; not its splendor, but its sincerity.

In our time, many pursue romance as one might chase the setting sun—beautiful, but forever beyond reach. We are taught to seek excitement, mystery, and passion, yet too often we neglect the quieter virtue of friendship, the steady warmth that lights the hearth when the fire of desire burns low. Lee Min-ho’s words remind us that the truest love is not a storm, but a steady flame. It is built upon the daily act of communicating, of listening not to reply but to understand, of speaking not to impress but to connect.

The lesson is as clear as it is timeless: love cannot survive where words are withheld, nor can it flourish where pride builds walls. To those who seek lasting union, let them cultivate the friendship that underlies affection. Let them speak often, even when it is difficult, and listen even when it is inconvenient. For silence between hearts is the beginning of distance, and distance, once wide enough, becomes impossible to cross.

Therefore, dear listener, remember this: a marriage of friendship is the highest form of love. It is where laughter and tenderness meet, where understanding is greater than passion, and where each soul finds peace in the presence of the other. Be not afraid to show your heart, nor to speak your truth, for every honest word is a stone laid in the foundation of lasting joy.

And when the years pass, may your love be not the echo of youth’s fire, but the deep and enduring melody of friendship—two voices joined in harmony, communicating still, and walking hand in hand through all the seasons of life.