Chae Ri Na on 10 Years of Marriage: "Our Intimacy Frequency Is Below Average"

Singer Chae Ri Na has candidly shared the realities of being in her 10th year of marriage. She confessed that while arguments have decreased because she spends much of her time away from her husband, former professional baseball player Park Yong-geun, it also makes it difficult to stay updated on the details of each other's daily lives. This led to a playful discussion regarding their intimate relationship.

On the 15th, a video titled "Finally, the woman who can keep Shin Jung-hwan in check" was posted on the YouTube channel Dakteo-shin.

During the session, Shin Jung-hwan asked Chae Ri Na, "What is it like living as the wife of an athlete?" and she calmly described her married life.

She began by saying, "To put it positively, because we spend so much time apart, it actually makes us more affectionate."

Park is currently active as a professional baseball coach, a role that involves frequent away games and training camp schedules during the season. Consequently, the time the couple can spend together is naturally limited.

"There is almost nothing to fight about," Chae said with a laugh, adding, "The downside is that I don't really know what my husband is up to."

When she jokingly teased, "Couldn't we just do it whenever we want?", Shin Jung-hwan defended Park by noting, "Most athletes live together in training camps," but then playfully added, "Yong-geun, you mustn't get caught," drawing laughter from everyone present.

Chae responded playfully as well.

"I didn't mean it in that sense," she said, but then drew more laughter by adding, "On the contrary, even when I secretly buy things I want, my husband doesn't really know."

During the broadcast, data summarizing the average frequency of intimacy by age group was presented.

Upon seeing this, Chae made an embarrassed expression, admitting, "I don't fall into this category. It's truly serious."

While a couple's sexual life is a private matter, it is studied as a key factor influencing marital satisfaction and intimacy. However, experts explain that more important than frequency itself is for a couple to understand each other's rhythms and emotional states through sufficient communication. For couples who live apart for long periods due to their professions, the quality of the relationship and mutual trust are cited as more vital than the amount of time spent together.

Chae and Park are known to have overcome various hardships together.

Previously, in May, Chae appeared on SBS Plus's "Lee Ho-sun's Cider" and gained widespread empathy by sharing her decision to finally give up on IVF treatments after seven years of trying.

Recalling those times, she said, "The time waiting for results was the most terrifying. It was so hard to repeatedly hold onto hope only to face frustration."

She further recalled, "My body was worn down and I was mentally exhausted, so I would vent by saying 'I want to die,' and hearing those words, my husband burst into tears," expressing her gratitude to him for enduring those difficult times by her side.

Chae debuted in 1995 as a member of the co-ed group Roo'ra and was a representative singer of the 1990s. She married Park, who is six years her junior, in 2016. Currently, the two continue their respective activities while supporting one another as a couple.