Lee Jong-beom on Jung-hoo Lee's marriage: 'Love is up to him'

The "Son of the Wind," Lee Jong-beom, has revealed his unexpected preference for a daughter-in-law regarding the marriage of his son, Major League Baseball star Jung-hoo Lee. He expressed a desire for his son's spouse to be someone who, like his own wife, can understand, endure, and support the demanding life of a professional athlete, while stepping back to note that the choice of love and marriage is ultimately up to his son.

On the July 7 broadcast of tvN STORY's "Table Tales," Lee appeared as a "Mat-seonja" (food expert), sharing a meal with Lee Young Ja and Se-ri Pak while discussing family and baseball. The episode covered various topics, including 100-year-old traditional Yeosu cuisine, Lee's playing days, Jung-hoo Lee's life in MLB, and his thoughts on marriage.

While explaining Jung-hoo Lee's current life with the San Francisco Giants, Lee emphasized the role of his wife. He noted that she has been staying by his son's side, traveling between Korea and the U.S. for about three years, specifically supporting him by preparing Korean cuisine.

Although Major League clubs provide meals to players, Lee explained that Jung-hoo Lee sometimes struggles with the repetitive meat-centered diets provided by the teams. He mentioned that his wife prepares Korean cuisine in the evenings, which helps him prepare for the next day's game.

This context explains why Lee chose "someone like Jung-hoo's mother" as the ideal daughter-in-law. Rather than simply referring to traditional domestic support, he is expressing a desire for a spouse who can intimately understand the life of a professional athlete, which involves high-intensity schedules of travel, training, and games throughout the season.

When Lee Young Ja asked about Jung-hoo Lee's marriage plans and whether he is currently dating anyone, Lee replied that he has no intention of rushing into marriage. He also suggested that his son does not seem to be seeing anyone at the moment. Responding to Lee Young Ja's comment that athletes sometimes marry early, he laughed and said, "There are reasons for that too," but maintained that it is not yet the time.

This led to the question: "What kind of daughter-in-law do you want?"

Lee's answer was unexpectedly simple.

"Someone like Jung-hoo's mother."

He explained that he wants someone who can support, endure, and understand his son just as his wife does. However, when Lee Young Ja asked if a celebrity or broadcaster would be a good daughter-in-law, he joked that he would have to ask his wife, saying he has "little say" in his children's marriage matters, drawing laughter.

In particular, when Lee Young Ja asked, "Is love not necessary?", Lee retorted, "He has to handle the love himself."

He essentially used humor to point out that the spouse a parent desires and the love a child actually chooses are separate matters.

Lee's remarks are noteworthy because they go beyond a famous baseball father's advice on marriage. The "support" he speaks of reflects both his own time as a player and his experience as a parent watching his son's current life.

Lee joined the Haitai Tigers in 1993 and became a renowned shortstop representing Korean professional baseball. He earned the nickname "Son of the Wind" due to his speed, aggressive base running, and strong hitting, and also played for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. Since retiring, he has remained connected to the sport as a coach and commentator.

For Lee, the fact that Jung-hoo Lee chose the same path was a source of pride as well as concern. He confessed on the show that since his son was young, he had to endure jealousy and the perception that he "benefited from his father" simply because of his lineage.

Indeed, Lee mentioned that after Jung-hoo Lee became an adult, he once asked him over a drink, "How did you endure and overcome all of that?" Jung-hoo Lee replied, "I had no choice but to prove it with my skills," a story that moved Lee when he recalled it.

For Jung-hoo Lee, the label "Lee Jong-beom's son" was both a blessing and significant pressure. As his father was a legend in Korean baseball history, any achievement Jung-hoo Lee made was inevitably met with views that attributed his success to genetic talent or his father's shadow.

However, after starting his professional career with the Nexen Heroes, Jung-hoo Lee made a name for himself by winning Rookie of the Year and the regular season MVP in the KBO League. He subsequently moved to MLB after signing a major contract with the San Francisco Giants in 2024, facing the new challenge of proving his value on the American stage.

Lee noted that he is now more frequently called "Jung-hoo Lee's father" these days. He expressed a sense of irony, recalling how his own father was once known as "Lee Jong-beom's father." As his son enters the Major Leagues, Lee himself finds himself back in the public spotlight.

The role of the family was also highlighted. The way Lee's wife supports his son by traveling between Korea and the U.S. illustrates the invisible labor behind a professional athlete's performance. Behind a player's stats lies the time spent by family members managing meals, travel, rhythm, and psychological stability.

However, as times change, the concept of "support" is no longer viewed solely as one-sided sacrifice. Jung-hoo Lee is an adult responsible for his own career and choices, and Lee himself drew a line by stating that matters of love must be handled by the child.

Ultimately, Lee's preference for a daughter-in-law seems to stem from the trust he has in the life his wife has led. Having watched his wife support his son's MLB career, the father naturally hopes to see that same "family strength" passed to the next generation.

As for when Jung-hoo Lee will marry, it remains uncertain. For now, his priority is likely not the marriage conditions set by his family, but carving out his own distinct name in Major League Baseball.