South Korean soap opera fans across Asia and beyond woke up Wednesday to the surprise announcement by stars Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo that they will get married in October, despite their having flatly denied rumors of an off-screen romance.

The 31-year-old actor and 35-year-old actress played the leading roles as a soldier-doctor couple in the 2016 TV drama "Descendants of the Sun," which became immensely popular not only in South Korea but also elsewhere in Asia.

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The two stars will tie the knot on Oct. 31, their agencies said, explaining that they had previously denied the relationship because "the situation demanded caution as marriage is a joining of not just two people but of two families."

Song Hye Kyo won fame in dramas such as "Autumn in My Heart" and "All In," while the "Descendants" series shot Song Joong Ki to mega stardom.

The actor will also star in the upcoming film "The Battleship Island," which depicts the story of an attempted escape by forced coal mine laborers on the island of Hashima during the Japanese occupation-era. The movie is scheduled for release in July.