Hye-Gul Hong's Film 'The Assassin(s)' Criticism; Esther Lyuh Considers Selling Her Company

Doctor Esther Lyuh revealed that she has ultimately considered selling her company due to the controversy sparked by her husband Hye-Gul Hong's critical posts regarding the movie 'The Assassin(s)'. She stated that while she wants to respect her husband's freedom of expression, it has become difficult to handle the situation where repeated SNS controversies cause damage to her company and employees. Esther Lyuh confessed that she has repeatedly urged Hye-Gul Hong to refrain from his Facebook activities, but felt deep frustration as similar incidents continued to recur. As the long-standing conflicts in their marriage intertwined with business issues, their date became a venue for revealing unexpected inner thoughts.

On the 9th, a video titled 'Yeo-Hong Couple's Separation Crisis vlog' was released on Esther Lyuh's YouTube channel. Instead of showing a sweet daily life, the couple, who went on a date together after a long time, spoke honestly about the recent controversy and the resulting conflicts. Esther Lyuh recalled the situation, saying she had an uneasy premonition even before Hye-Gul Hong's Facebook post was made public.

Esther Lyuh said, "On that day, because of Facebook, it wasn't just frustration; it was more than just nagging, and what frustrated me even more was the feeling I got the day before." She further revealed the words she spoke to her husband at the time: "It's been so long since you've caused trouble, so please be really careful with Facebook. I told him if Hye-Gul Hong causes trouble again, I will die." She explained that apologies from Hye-Gul Hong followed, and not long after, the controversy spread online.

The problematic post was Hye-Gul Hong's criticism of the movie 'The Assassin(s)', which he posted on his Facebook last month. He raised issues regarding the film, suggesting, "It is uncomfortable. The bereaved families are still alive, so is it right to insult the deceased, who half the population acknowledges, with forced conspiracy theories?" The post drew attention as it coincided with debates surrounding the film's historical interpretation, and criticism regarding Hye-Gul Hong's remarks continued. The controversy expanded because the act of expressing personal views on a work and the social impact of those expressions are separate issues.

Esther Lyuh lamented that although Hye-Gul Hong repeatedly apologized, he did not give a firm assurance that the same thing would not happen again. Ultimately, she chose a firm response. She stated, "He only keeps saying he's sorry, but he doesn't say he won't do it again. So I drew my sword once. I told him I wouldn't support him After the Rain." In response, Hye-Gul Hong expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "A person is being dirty and petty by threatening with money." Their conversation revealed a situation where the conflict over SNS activities has escalated beyond a simple marital spat into issues of economic support and business operations.

What Esther Lyuh took most seriously was that the aftermath of the controversy affected the company and its employees. She stated, "Our company's internet was flooded with malicious comments. Our employees couldn't do anything else and had to delete them all." As an individual's SNS remarks turned into a reputation issue for the company, employees had to respond to malicious comments. A celebrity's remarks, even if they start from a personal account, can affect the brand and members of a business entity. For Esther Lyuh, Hye-Gul Hong's posts were not merely the writings of a husband with differing opinions, but a variable that shook the business she had built for a long time and the daily lives of her employees.

Esther Lyuh reported that after she stayed angry for a long time, Hye-Gul Hong said he would delete Facebook, but the next day, he said something to the effect of, "There are too many people looking for me." It appears he was conscious of the fact that there are people waiting for his opinions online, but Esther Lyuh could not easily accept this. On one hand, there is the freedom to write and express opinions, and on the other, there is the practical responsibility that arises from it. This is why the two feel different burdens regarding the same incident.

Ultimately, Esther Lyuh revealed that she has even thought about selling the company. She said, "I thought deeply the day before. I wondered if a person who writes so well has to live the rest of his life unable to write what he wants to write just because I run a company." She added, "I wondered how much longer he intends to live to act like this, so I am planning to say I will stop making money now." This means she contemplated whether she had to give up maintaining the business itself to prevent her husband's writing. She added, "Isn't the only reason I get angry and stop Hye-Gul Hong from using Facebook because of the company?"

However, Hye-Gul Hong expressed bewilderment at the choice of selling the company. He questioned, "She said she would sell the company. Is it okay to just sell the company like that?" Esther Lyuh said she was also offended, reporting that when she brought up the idea of selling the company, Hye-Gul Hong said, "We should at least continue with this system for more than 5 years." She expressed disappointment, saying, "As time passes, I feel like he sees me as a woman who only makes money." The conversation regarding the company's survival touched upon not only economic interests but also perceptions of emotions and roles between the couple.

Esther Lyuh expressed her exhaustion from the repeated controversies, saying, "Since this happens once or twice every year, I said there is no choice but to not run the company." She also mentioned that when the suffering becomes too difficult to handle and the sense of despair grows, she even feels like making an extreme choice. However, these remarks were made in the context of expressing the psychological pressure caused by the repeated conflicts. This shows how seriously Esther Lyuh takes her husband's SNS activities and the resulting aftermath.

This conflict demonstrates how freedom of expression and responsibility clash between spouses. While the right of an individual to express opinions on their own account should be respected, if those remarks affect the spouse's business and employees, coordination between the parties is inevitable. Conversely, if one tries to control all of a spouse's expressions for the reason of protecting the business, the balance between individual autonomy and the relationship may be shaken. Ultimately, the core issue is not a simple matter of whether to write or not, but how much one considers and takes responsibility for the impact their choices have on the other person.

Esther Lyuh and Hye-Gul Hong have been a couple and partners active in their respective fields for a long time. However, the repeated SNS controversies revealed the reality that it is difficult to separate private emotions from public business. It is unknown whether Esther Lyuh will actually sell the company, and these remarks are based on the conversation between the couple revealed in the video. However, the fatigue contained in the words "I will stop making money" is clear. Attention is focused on what choice Esther Lyuh will make between her desire to respect her husband's freedom of expression and the reality of protecting the company and employees she is responsible for.

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