Sechs Kies' Ko Ji-yong reveals divorce, says he hid news for son

Ko Ji-yong, a broadcaster and former member of the group Sechs Kies, has revealed that he divorced family medicine specialist Heo Yang-im two years ago. He explained that he had kept the news private out of consideration for his son, Seung-jae.

On the 29th, Ko posted a lengthy message on his social media (SNS), stating, "I divorced my wife two years ago."

He explained the reason for his long silence, saying, "The reason I did not disclose this fact until now was that I wanted to protect my son, Seung-jae, so that he could fully accept the current situation and grow up stably."

He emphasized that the decision was made carefully as a parent, adding, "Above all, I thought it was most important that the child would not be hurt and could maintain his daily life."

Ko stated that his responsibility as a parent remains unchanged despite the divorce.

"I will continue to do my best as a father, and although we have begun walking our own paths as a married couple, we are maintaining a good relationship while supporting each other," he shared.

He added that he decided to speak out directly to prevent "speculations or misunderstandings different from the facts" and to avoid unnecessary conjecture.

Ko and Heo married in December 2013 and welcomed their son, Seung-jae, the following year. Seung-jae gained significant popularity for his intelligent and lovely personality on the KBS2 variety program "The Return of Superman," while Ko also earned praise from viewers as a devoted father.

While the family's life has garnered steady public interest since their broadcast appearances, the couple has kept their private life as quiet as possible. Even in this instance, they chose to prioritize giving their son time to adjust psychologically before making a public statement.

Following Ko's announcement, fans have sent messages of support, including, "I can feel this decision was made with Seung-jae in mind above all else," "I hope all family members find happiness in their respective paths," and "Thank you for bravely sharing such a difficult story."