Jung Sun-hee on being single for 18 years: 'A partner must be able to handle my life'

Broadcaster Jung Sun-hee has candidly shared why she has not rushed into dating or marriage for a long time. She explained that it is not simply a lack of interest in romance, but rather a consideration for the emotional weight a partner would have to shoulder when entering a relationship with her.

On the 25th, Jung appeared on the YouTube channel 'Shin-Yeoseong' to converse with Lee Kyung-sil, Jo Hye-ryun, and Lee Sun-min. During the appearance, Lee bluntly asked her, "Why are you living without meeting any men?"

Jung replied, "It's not like I necessarily have to meet someone," adding, "My personality doesn't leave me feeling lonely, and I enjoy being alone. I'm good at being by myself." She explained that even after spending enjoyable time with others, she requires solitude, stating, "Even if I have fun with people I am really close to, I need a space or time to rest alone for an hour or two when I get home."

She noted that she has not been intentionally rejecting dating. Jung said, "The reason I haven't dated isn't that I've put up a wall, but that I have no points of contact with men. There haven't been appropriate opportunities. I don't do things like blind dates."

The reason she views dating so cautiously became even clearer in her following words.

Jung stated, "I'm not just looking at my own life, but considering what that person would have to bear when they start dating me. I just think, 'It will happen when it's meant to happen.' I am filtering out encounters where people might get swept up in the moment without being able to handle that reality."

This is interpreted as a realistic recognition that a partner would also have to shoulder the past, personal wounds, and public scrutiny that define Jung's life. It suggests she is waiting for a relationship where both parties can handle each other's lives, rather than seeking a connection simply to soothe loneliness.

Lee Kyung-sil also revealed that she had personally tried to arrange blind dates for Jung in the past. She said, "For me, Sun-hee is one of the most pitiful juniors, so I tried to set her up once or twice. I thought it would be good if our Sun-hee could move on sooner and form a beautiful family, so I tried twice, but she said she didn't want to."

She continued, mentioning that at the time, Jung replied, "I am not ready, and I am comfortable as I am now."

The background of why Jung's perspective on marriage and dating is so profound lies in her personal history.

Jung married the late actor Ahn Jae-hwan in 2007 but was widowed the following year. Her marriage ended abruptly after about a year, and since then, she has had to endure both personal grief and intense public scrutiny while continuing her broadcasting career.

Given these experiences, the "things to bear" Jung speaks of likely extend beyond the mere burdens of dating. It appears to be based on the realistic judgment that a new partner must be able to understand and accept both her past and her present.

Rather than caricaturing or exaggerating her life on broadcasts, Jung has consistently shown an attitude of comfortably accepting her solitude. She does not view being alone as a deficiency, but as a way to maintain the necessary rhythm of her life.

Her approach also deviates from the social convention that regards marriage and dating as essential milestones. As Lee expressed, forming a "beautiful family" is not necessarily the ultimate goal of life, making Jung's choice appear quite pragmatic.

Jung's sentiment that "It will happen when it's meant to happen" follows this same logic. Rather than forcibly changing her life to accommodate someone, she intends to naturally accept a relationship only when both parties are prepared to handle the realities of each other's lives.

The reason why Jung, who has chosen a life alone for nearly 18 years, still does not rush into dating is surprisingly simple: she is not lonely, and she is fully capable of living her life on her own. It is clear that when a relationship does eventually arrive, she intends to choose it with that same level of careful deliberation.