Democratic Party's Lee So-young Criticizes Jung Woo-sung's Extramarital Child Controversy
"Is It a Problem for Parents Who Had a Child to Live Separately?"
"Would a Child Raised by Loveless Parents Be Happy?"
Amid the revelation that the biological father of the child born to model Mungabi is actor Jung Woo-sung, Lee So-young, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, shared her thoughts on June 26 through a post titled "Reflections on the News of Actor Jung Woo-sung's Son" on social media (SNS). Lee stated, "The controversy over Jung Woo-sung's child born out of wedlock has dominated the media for several days," adding, "While celebrities' private lives are always a subject of interest, I find it hard to agree with the criticism and judgment over whether he gets married or not."
Lee asked, "In a society where divorce is permitted and respected when a couple with a child separates, can a man and woman who have a child but do not marry and live separately be subject to criticism? Then, is it acceptable if they marry after having a child and then divorce?"
She continued, "I don't understand why such matters are subject to judgment and evaluation in the first place. The decision to live with someone is a very existential one," and pointed out, "Just because you have a child together, you must marry regardless of your relationship with the other person, live with obligations of cohabitation and support as a married couple. Somehow, it feels suffocating." She added, "The freedom to live alone, the freedom to marry the person I want?aren't these uniquely personal freedoms and rights granted to individuals?"
She also said, "It seems like everyone is concerned about the child and has something to say, but I think the idea that 'parents must maintain a marital relationship for the sake of the child' could be a prejudice." She went on, "My parents divorced when I was very young, and I grew up without even remembering my father's face, let alone having parenting responsibilities. In some ways, that is unfortunate," but added, "If my parents, who did not love each other, had not divorced and stayed together, would I have been happier? That is a realm no one can speak about carelessly."
Lee emphasized, "There is nothing wrong with being ordinary, and if parents love each other and join forces to live together, I believe it would have a better emotional impact on the child," but also said, "However, our lives are all different in their own ways. Even if there seems to be a standard that is ordinary and similar, in reality, everyone is different. Wouldn't a society that casually respects such 'differences' be a better society? Of course, I also respect other opinions."
According to a report by an entertainment media outlet, Mungabi and Jung Woo-sung first met through a gathering in 2022 and grew close, and it was revealed that Mungabi became pregnant with Jung Woo-sung's child in June of last year. Jung Woo-sung's agency, Artist Company, stated on the 24th, "The child publicly acknowledged by Mungabi is indeed Jung Woo-sung's biological child," adding, "We are discussing the best way to raise the child and will take full responsibility until the end."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
