Jang Shin-young on 8 years of marriage: The need for personal space

Actress Jang Shin-young expressed her belief that couples need their own independent spaces within a marriage. As Jang, who is in her eighth year of marriage with actor Kang Kyeong-jun, shared these thoughts while touring a model house, her comments are drawing attention as a realistic perspective on the 'distance' and 'individuality' required for couples living together.

On the 16th, a video titled 'Visiting Gangneung and Moha for the first time in 20 years ft. Actress Jang Shin-young' was released on the YouTube channel 'Cho Soo-bin Curation.' On this day, Jo Su-bin visited a high-end apartment brand's model house in Gangneung, and Jang, who serves as a model for the apartment, participated as a guest.

The two examined the interior of the model house, meticulously checking not only the living room and kitchen but also layouts that allow spaces to be utilized diversely depending on the family members. During the process, when a structure that allows a room to be used as two independent spaces was introduced, Jang naturally revealed her thoughts on married life.

“Don't married couples also need their own space sometimes?” Jang said. When the married Jo Su-bin asked back, “Sometimes?” Jang elicited laughter by responding, “Frequently?”

Jang continued, explaining, “Because of that, I think it would be good to have my own space like this to spend personal time.”

This means that just because a couple resides in the same house, it does not mean they must spend all their time together. In particular, as the number of family members increases, the need for independent spaces for individual hobbies, rest, or work makes Jang's remarks align with recent trends in residential design.

While past family-centered living spaces were organized around the living room, there is a strong recent trend toward valuing spaces that can accommodate individual lifestyles, such as studies, hobby rooms, dressing rooms, and private studios, in addition to master bedrooms and children's rooms. It is as if 'loose cohabitation,' where people live together while respecting each other's privacy and rest time, is establishing itself as a residential culture.

In Jang's case, due to the nature of her profession as a celebrity, she has a different life rhythm from typical families due to filming, broadcasts, and external schedules. In such a situation, her comment about the need for a space to spend personal time within the house can be interpreted as a story stemming from her own life experiences rather than a simple critique of a model house.

Another side of Jang was revealed during the tour of the kitchen. Looking at the spacious island table, the two marveled at the scale of the space, and Jang carefully inspected the kitchen drawers.

She said, “I love organizing so much that it gives me peace of mind when there are designated spaces where everything can be organized.” This means she prefers spaces designed so that items can be placed in their proper places, going beyond the simple dimension of having plenty of storage.

Jo Su-bin joked, “Does an actress also do housework? Shouldn't you be someone who never gets a drop of water on your hands?” She then mentioned Jang's housekeeping skills, saying, “You seemed to be good at cooking. I saw it in videos.”

Jang replied, “I cook a bit less than I used to. I've let it go a little lately.” This explained that while she spent a lot of time cooking in the past, she has changed her lifestyle recently.

Born in 1984, Jang entered the entertainment industry after placing in the 71st Miss Chunhyang Pageant in 2001. Since then, she has expanded her field of activity as an actress, meeting the public through dramas, films, and variety shows.

In 2018, she married actor Kang Kyeong-jun. The two have garnered public interest by revealing their family's daily life through broadcasts and currently have two sons. As the daily lives of the couple and their family are relatively well-known to the public, the 'personal space' mentioned by Jang is attracting interest beyond mere interior design preference.

In particular, Jang continued her activities as an actress by appearing in the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation daily drama 'The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun,' which ended last December. In a life balancing marriage, childcare, and acting, she may have felt the necessity of a space for personal rest and recharging. However, the comment itself does not imply conflict or relationship issues between the couple.

Rather, Jang's remarks show that the way relationships are maintained by couples in long-term marriages is changing from the past. This is because, apart from the fact that a couple is a single living community, recognizing each other's tastes, daily lives, and rest time is being accepted as a factor that increases the sustainability of the relationship.

Ultimately, what Jang focused on in the model house was not just a large house or luxurious interior. She expressed a preference for a home where family spaces and individual spaces coexist—a home that allows people to live together while giving each other room to breathe. This is why Jang's honest words, eight years into her marriage, are drawing attention in conjunction with changing residential cultures.