Why do South Korean celebrities reveal divorces years later, despite shifting social views?
South Korean celebrities are speaking openly about their divorces, but many still wait years before making their break-ups public. Even as social perceptions around divorce have changed, stars remain cautious for a variety of personal and professional reasons.
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Singer Park Ki-young recently made headlines for revealing her second divorce – years after it happened. She first married a lawyer in 2010 but divorced in 2015. In 2017, she married a tango dancer and choreographer she met on KBS2's Immortal Songs, but the couple separated in 2022. The news was only shared three years later.
Lee Won-seok, lead vocalist of Daybreak, also delayed his announcement. He married a non-celebrity in 2011 but divorced in 2021. It wasn't until April 2023 that he posted the news on his blog, 'In 2021, I experienced two major goodbyes and found myself alone again.'
Former MBC presenter Son Jung-eun disclosed her divorce on KBS Joy's Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller in January. She said, 'There were big changes in my life. My father passed away six years ago, and being an only child, it was very difficult. The following year, I separated from my husband.' She had previously announced her marriage to a businessman in 2011.
Public attitudes toward divorce have significantly shifted. Celebrities who are divorcees now speak more openly about their experiences on television. Actor Hwang Jung-eum addressed her divorce on SBS Plus and E Channel's dating reality show Because I'm Solo. SBS's Dolsing Fourmen centres on divorced male celebrities like Lee Sang-min and Lim Won-hee. MBN's Love After Divorce featured broadcaster Park Chang-hyun and Redsox member Noh Jung-myung, garnering attention.
Celebrities are more free to talk about divorce now, but once it's revealed, online sleuths start speculating who was at fault
Ha Jae-geun, pop culture critic
Divorce is no longer seen as a major blemish for stars. After Son's appearance on Ask Us Anything Fortune Teller, public support poured in. Television personality Seo Jang-hoon said, 'Most people didn't know she had divorced, so she received more messages after the show than she did when she became an anchor.'
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