Choi Dong-seok Shares Poignant Reflections on Family Following Divorce

Broadcaster Choi Dong-seok revealed complex emotions by sharing moments spent with his son, whom he met after a long time, and the family dynamics surrounding that time. The relationship of 'parent and child,' which was once as natural as daily life, has taken on a more special and poignant meaning after passing through the inflection point of divorce.

Sharing his recent daily life, Choi Dong-seok stated, “Since the child stays for about ten days before leaving, the elders are happy, but because they love their youngest grandson so much, my parents act like a '5-minute standby team' to take care of the child.” While this expresses the unconditional love of grandparents toward their grandchild, it also contains subtle emotions arising from limited meeting times and changes in family relationships.

The expression '5-minute standby team' is not just a humorous metaphor. It encapsulates the psychology of parents who wait for a grandchild's visit that could happen at any time and want to give as much love as possible, even in a short period. Especially in a situation where meeting children after a divorce is not as natural as in the past, the grandparents' waiting for their grandchild manifests as an even more desperate form of family love.

Following his divorce from former spouse Ji-yoon Park, Choi Dong-seok has been meeting his children through visitation rights. The time spent with his son after a long hiatus holds a meaning greater than a simple 'meeting.' Since children are important beings that constitute one's life and identity beyond mere blood relations, the moments spent together within limited time are remembered with even denser emotions.

The image of the family he shared shows the layers of emotion experienced by the people living within it, rather than the conflicts or social perceptions surrounding the event of divorce. In particular, Choi Dong-seok's feelings as he watches his parents feeling empty after the grandchild leaves reveal a complex sentiment felt between his two roles as a 'parent of a child' and 'someone's son.'

To repay them, Choi Dong-seok later cooked abalone porridge for his parents. He said, “After sending the child away, I thought it was my turn to show filial piety this morning, so I tried cooking abalone porridge. Since the elders' digestion has weakened and there is no better restorative food in the hot summer.”

This holds a meaning beyond simple cooking. It is a way of expressing gratitude for the parents' devotion to their grandchild, as well as the apology and thankfulness he feels toward his family amidst the changes in his life. The act of caring for someone is ultimately the most primal language of love that restores and confirms relationships.

The scene shown by Choi Dong-seok and his parents reflects a facet of the modern family. Families do not always stay in the same space; sometimes they are apart, yet maintained through emotions for one another even within limited time. Especially in an era where divorce and reconstituted families are increasing, 'time spent apart' actually makes one rethink the essence of the relationship called family.

Meanwhile, Choi Dong-seok married Ji-yoon Park, a colleague from his days as a KBS announcer in 2009, and had two children, but concluded their 14-year marriage through divorce mediation in 2023. Currently, Ji-yoon Park holds parental rights and custody of the children, and Choi Dong-seok continues to meet them through visitation.

This disclosure of his daily life was a scene that showed the inner self of Choi Dong-seok, living as a father to a child and a son to a parent, rather than the glamorous image of a broadcaster. The empty space left behind after a short meeting, and the family love that fills that space, might be the emotion that stays the longest in life.