Julien Kang and EJ: The importance of effort in their 2nd year of marriage

YouTuber EJ (real name Park Ji-eun) shared her honest thoughts on the realities of married life as she enters her second year of marriage. She is gaining widespread empathy by delivering the message that a relationship is not completed solely through intense romantic feelings, but that continuous effort to understand and coordinate with one another is the key to maintaining a long-term marital relationship.

As social perceptions of marriage and family change recently, marital relationships are being reinterpreted not as simple romantic unions, but as 'long-term partnerships for growing together.' EJ's confession is drawing attention as an example that highlights the reality of married life and the importance of relationship management amidst these changing times.

On the 22nd, a video titled '2nd Year Marriage Reality Review (Characteristics of couples who divorce within 2 years?)' was released on EJ's YouTube channel, 'TMI JeeEun.'

In the video, EJ shared her thoughts on marital relationships based on her own experiences, stating, "Although two years is short, I want to talk about what I have felt while living a married life."

Having spent her second year of marriage since marrying entertainer Julien Kang in 2024, she said, "Usually, people think that if they marry after loving each other intensely, that relationship will continue to be maintained. I also thought, 'We are so good together, so it will get even better as time passes.'"

However, what she realized in actual married life was that conscious effort to maintain the relationship is far more important than the intensity of emotions.

EJ emphasized, "From my experience, I realized that effort is truly more important than I thought. I believe the 2nd to 3rd year of marriage is a very crucial period."

This coincides with the point where the excitement and fantasy of the early stages of marriage begin to clash with realistic lifestyles. This is because differences in lifestyle habits, values, and communication styles—which could easily be overlooked during the dating phase—become more distinct during the process of living together.

She explained, "If the first button is fastened incorrectly, a situation may arise later where you don't even know where to start fixing it again. At some point, you might reach a stage where even talking or trying to act differently doesn't immediately resolve all misunderstandings and emotions."

She added, "However, I came to think that if we fasten the first button well during this period, we might be able to achieve the relationship we dream of."

What EJ particularly emphasized was 'communication.' She stated that consistently engaging in dialogue without neglecting small conflicts is the foundation of a healthy relationship.

She said, "If small things are left behind, they become big problems later. I try to communicate a lot so that small emotions do not accumulate."

This means that rather than eliminating conflict itself in a marital relationship, the way conflict is handled is what matters. In psychology, it is analyzed that in long-term relationships, 'relational communication skills'—the ability to acknowledge and coordinate with the partner's emotions—have a greater impact on satisfaction than the mere presence or absence of conflict.

EJ shared that their marital relationship has become even deeper.

She revealed, "The relationship between us has become much better. I think we have entered a period where we become precious to each other in a different way than during our early honeymoon days."

She continued, "If we grow old together like this for 10 or 20 years, wouldn't we become best friends as well as family, and a husband becoming a life partner? If it becomes like that, I think it will be the greatest gift in life."

She also added, "Both I and Julien are continuing to make efforts for our marital relationship. I believe that without effort, the relationship of being a married couple can easily become dry."

Recently, marriage culture has been shifting toward valuing 'sustainable relationships' over 'perfect love.' As the view that marriage is not a finished product but a process that two people constantly create spreads, EJ's honest story has delivered a realistic message to many married and engaged couples.

EJ married entertainer Julien Kang in May 2024 and continues her YouTube activities focusing on fitness and lifestyle content. Even after marriage, the two continue to communicate with the public by revealing their daily lives and married life.