Seo Dongju Says "My Father, the Late Seo Sewon, Became a Different Person After Returning from Detention Center"

Appearance on YouTube Channel 'We Miracle'
Opens Up About Childhood and Relationships with Parents

Seo Dongju, an American lawyer and broadcaster, spoke about the death of her father, the comedian Seo Sewon, who passed away in Cambodia, and how her feelings regarding his passing have changed over time.

On October 17, Seo Dongju appeared on the YouTube channel 'We Miracle', where she discussed her childhood, her emotions at the time of her father's death, her mother Seo Junghui's battle with cancer, and various other topics. Reflecting on her childhood, Seo Dongju said, "I grew up in a good family environment. We were well-off, and my parents' relationship was not bad. There are definitely many good memories."

Lawyer and broadcaster Seo Dongju is remembering her father, the late comedian Seo Sewon. Screenshot from the YouTube channel 'We Miracle'

However, she recalled that the atmosphere at home changed drastically around 2002. Seo Dongju said, "After my father was released from the detention center, I could clearly feel that many things had changed. He came back as a completely different person. That was when our family started facing real difficulties."

Seo Dongju also opened up about her feelings at the time of her father's death. The late Seo Sewon passed away in April 2023 after suffering cardiac arrest during IV treatment at a hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Seo Dongju confessed, "The shock was overwhelming, and I didn't know what emotions I was supposed to feel. I tend to suppress my emotions, so I didn't know how to handle it." She added, "I felt a deep sense of emptiness. My father and I did not have a good relationship, and it was a love-hate relationship. When the person who caused those emotions disappeared, I didn't know where to direct my feelings." She continued, "I'm not someone who cries easily, but during that time, I cried a lot and had a very hard time."

The late Seo Sewon, who debuted in 1979, was greatly loved as a comedian and talk show host, but left the entertainment industry due to allegations of embezzling film production funds and controversy over gambling overseas. In 2015, he was sentenced to six months in prison with a two-year suspended sentence for assaulting his ex-wife Seo Junghui. The following year, he moved to Cambodia, where he later passed away.