Esther Lyuh reveals broken engagement to SNU classmate

Doctor and entrepreneur Esther Lyuh has revealed that she was once engaged to a partner she dated during her time at Seoul National University College of Medicine, but broke off the engagement just six months before the wedding, long before meeting her husband, Hye-Gul Hong.

She explained that at the time, she felt a distinct difference in lifestyle and views on marriage with her partner, and ultimately decided not to proceed with the wedding.

On the 28th, during a video uploaded to her YouTube channel 'Esther Lyuh's Esther TV,' Lyuh shared stories about marriage and dating while having a barbecue party with her employees in the backyard of her studio on Jeju Island.

When the topic of marriage concerns arose, Lyuh advised, "You should marry someone who makes you happier when you are together rather than when you are alone." She went on to share her own experience, suggesting that if one lacks certainty even when facing marriage, it is necessary to reconsider the decision.

The first romantic partner mentioned by Lyuh was someone she met while attending Seoul National University College of Medicine. Recalling the time, she said, "It was during my first year of medical school," noting that the partner approached her after breaking up with his previous girlfriend, and they naturally grew close.

The two developed a romantic relationship while studying together and experiencing campus life. They relied on each other academically, such as when the partner helped her look at histology slides, and people around them naturally referred to them as a 'campus couple.'

The relationship continued quite seriously. Lyuh revealed that they were even engaged around the time of her graduation. However, with the wedding only six months away, she ultimately chose to break off the engagement.

The decisive reason was the difference in values regarding married life. Explaining her feelings at the time, Lyuh said she "lacked certainty" and confessed that her partner held different views from hers regarding a woman's lifestyle and appearance.

"He didn't understand why a woman would own multiple pairs of shoes," she said, adding, "He also told me not to get a perm and said that once we are married, there must be soup in the morning." Lyuh laughed while recalling the situation, saying, "I am not good at cooking."

Differences in seemingly minor daily habits became significant issues when facing an actual marriage. In particular, it appears her certainty about marriage wavered further as the traditional view of demanding housework and meals from a woman after marriage clashed with her own perception of her life.

Ultimately, Lyuh decided to break off the engagement just six months before the wedding. Since it was a decision to end a relationship that had already reached the engagement stage, it was by no means a light decision, but she judged that it was better to end the relationship than to marry without certainty.

Following the broken engagement, Lyuh did not immediately choose a new marriage. She stated, "After that, I spent three full years as a resident alone." This means she spent time alone focusing on the training process to build her expertise as a doctor.

It was during her fourth year of residency that she met her current husband, Hye-Gul Hong. The two, who were seniors and juniors at Seoul National University College of Medicine, continued their connection, and Lyuh cited Hong's character as a major reason for her decision to marry.

"My husband was fundamentally kind and sincere," Lyuh said. "His family members were all good people as well. That is why I married him."

She explained that in the process of choosing a marriage partner, she prioritized the person's character, family relationships, and the sense of stability when living together over external conditions or social background. This also shows that her views on marriage became more realistic after experiencing the previous engagement and breakup.

Lyuh and Hong grew close based on their commonality as alumni of Seoul National University College of Medicine. Hong, who worked as a medical journalist, and Lyuh, who built her expertise as a doctor, later made names for themselves together in the fields of broadcasting and business. The couple married in 1994 and has two sons.

The advice Lyuh emphasized that day—“You should marry someone who makes you happier when you are together”—is a piece of wisdom drawn from her own marriage experience. Her life, which involved giving up a relationship that had reached engagement, spending time alone, and then marrying Hong, shows that marriage is not completed simply by the continuation of a relationship or a social promise, but depends on whether one can accept each other's lifestyle and values.

While those facing marriage often feel the pressure that "it is already promised, so there is no turning back," Lyuh instead re-examined her own certainty right before the wedding and ultimately chose to break off the engagement. This is why she still cites the experience decades later as a key example of her views on marriage.