Ham So-won shares proud moment as daughter wins Taekwondo medal

Broadcaster Ham So-won revealed her doting side as a mother by sharing news of her daughter Hye-jeong's bronze medal at a Taekwondo competition. Although Ham has been at the center of numerous headlines regarding her marriage and divorce, her heart as a mother watching her daughter's growth and achievements is no different from any other parent.

On the 13th, Ham conducted a live broadcast via SNS. As the stream began, her daughter Hye-jeong looked at the screen and said, “Why aren't they coming in? I have something to brag about.” It appeared she wanted to personally share her joyful news with her mother's followers.

A moment later, as followers joined the broadcast, Hye-jeong held her certificate and medal up to the camera. Her confident introduction of her achievements despite her young age drew significant attention.

“Our Hye-jeong won an award at a Taekwondo competition,” Ham said, adding, “She kept asking, ‘When is Mommy doing her broadcast?’ because she wanted to be congratulated by her aunts.” She continued proudly, “Our Hye-jeong participated in the Jongno-gu Taekwondo competition and won a bronze medal.”

While it was not a gold medal or a first-place finish, participating in the competition and earning a medal was a meaningful experience for Hye-jeong. In particular, the fact that she wanted to announce her achievement through her mother's broadcast highlights how the child perceives her own efforts and results.

Hye-jeong is essentially as important to Ham as her broadcasting career. Ham has steadily shared her daughter's growth through SNS and various programs over time. This time, too, the protagonist was not the famous broadcaster Ham, but her young daughter wearing a bronze medal from a Taekwondo competition.

Ham debuted in the entertainment industry after being a Miss Korea in 1997, later expanding her career as an actress and broadcaster. She made a name for herself not only in Korea but also through her entertainment activities in China. Subsequently, as her personal marriage and family stories drew public attention, she revealed her family's daily life through variety programs.

In particular, Ham's marriage drew considerable attention at the time. In 2018, she legally married Jinhwa, a Chinese national 18 years her junior. In December of the same year, the family story of the three was revealed to the public with the birth of Hye-jeong.

The two continued to generate buzz by revealing their married life and parenting process through broadcasts. From being a Korean-Chinese couple with a large age gap to conflicts arising from economic and cultural differences, various topics were covered in variety shows, making their private lives a subject of public interest.

However, the marital bond did not ultimately last. Ham and Jinhwa announced in December 2022 that they had decided to divorce, and even after the split, they showed they were maintaining a relationship through co-parenting and business. It was essentially a case of maintaining a connection centered around their daughter even after legally ending their marriage.

However, the two eventually went their separate ways at the end of last year. It is known that Hye-jeong is currently being raised by Ham. Regardless of the change in their marital status, their roles as parents continue.

For this reason, the news of this Taekwondo bronze medal carries special meaning for Ham, going beyond a simple announcement of a child's award. Ham, who has continued her broadcasting career amidst various controversies surrounding her marriage and private life, is now sharing the small but certain joys of her daughter's school life, hobbies, and growth with the public.

In particular, the scene where Hye-jeong directly said, “I have something to brag about,” and showed her certificate and medal, reflects the intimate relationship between mother and daughter. Aside from being exposed to the public eye as the child of a celebrity, having her small achievements recognized by her mother and those around her can be a vital part of a child's development.

Ham also showed that she takes pride in the process of participating in the competition and producing results, rather than treating the medal as a mere object. In her recent daily life, having navigated the major changes of marriage and divorce, Hye-jeong's growth has become one of her most significant and continuous interests.

Contrary to the public interest surrounding her glamorous career and family history, Ham showed the face of an ordinary mother on this day. Her joy over her daughter's bronze medal and Hye-jeong's eagerness to show it off on her mother's broadcast perfectly captured the current bond between mother and daughter.

While the marital relationship has ended, the bond between parent and child remains. As the story of Hye-jeong's growth continues to be the most consistent narrative following the divorce of Ham and Jinhwa, this bronze medal serves as a meaningful new page in their family story.