Backlash over Hye-Gul Hong's Political Post—Esther Lyuh Explodes, "I Have No Choice But to Close the Business"

Entrepreneur and doctor Esther Lyuh is deeply angered by the aftermath of her husband Hye-Gul Hong's political remarks. As her husband's expression of personal conviction dealt a blow to the company's image and the work of employees, she showed a firm stance, even mentioning the possibility of selling the company. It is drawing attention because the impact on the business site was not small enough to be dismissed as a simple quarrel between a married couple.

In a video titled "Esther Lyuh and Hye-Gul Hong in Crisis of Separation" released on her YouTube channel on the 9th, Esther Lyuh revealed what happened after Hye-Gul Hong's Facebook post was made public. Recalling the situation at the time, she said, "I woke up early that morning and received a 'I'm sorry' via KakaoTalk," adding, "After a little while, the internet went crazy." While she recognized the seriousness of the situation to the extent that her husband sent an apology message first, it appears that what Esther Lyuh wanted was a responsible attitude beyond a simple apology.

Esther Lyuh stated that she notified him that she would stop supporting the medical YouTube channel "After the Rain" operated by Hye-Gul Hong, saying, "He only said he was sorry, but he didn't say he wouldn't do it again. So I drew my sword." When Hye-Gul Hong protested, saying, "A person is being petty by threatening with money," Esther Lyuh countered that his position and the nature of the business must be considered. She pointed out, "Hye-Gul Hong should not reveal political colors, but didn't he write there about being part of a completely different camp and such?"

The part that particularly angered Esther Lyuh was that the personal dispute spread to the company. She appealed of the actual disruption in work, saying, "Our company's internet was flooded with malicious comments, and employees couldn't do anything else and had to delete them all." This means that the remarks of one person in a couple did not stop at causing controversy online but returned as a burden to employees who are unrelated to the company. To Esther Lyuh, Hye-Gul Hong's post was accepted as an issue that could threaten the stability of the business and the livelihoods of employees, beyond a difference of opinion between a couple.

Ultimately, it was reported that Hye-Gul Hong wrote a memorandum and promised to delete Facebook forever. However, Esther Lyuh's dissatisfaction did not subside easily. Mentioning the possibility of selling the company, she said, "Since this happens once or twice every year, I have no choice but to not run the company." When Hye-Gul Hong explained, "I thought that much wouldn't be a problem," Esther Lyuh retorted shortly and firmly, "That is the problem." This part shows that there was a gap between the two in the criteria for judging the seriousness of the situation.

The starting point of the controversy was a post regarding the movie "The Assassin(s)" that Hye-Gul Hong posted on Facebook last month. He criticized it as "hypocrisy," saying, "The bereaved families are still alive, is it right to insult a deceased person whom half the population respects or acknowledges through forced conspiracy theories?" The movie "The Assassin(s)" takes the 1974 shooting incident of First Lady Yuk Young-soo as its subject and has been embroiled in controversy surrounding the interpretation of the incident and the reproduction of historical facts since its release. While Hye-Gul Hong was expressing his views regarding the controversy surrounding the work, as it is a matter where historical events and political interpretations are intertwined, the remarks themselves were placed in the middle of a clash between political camps.

This incident makes one rethink how far the personal remarks of a celebrity can remain in the private sphere. While the freedom to express individual political views should be respected, if those remarks can affect the business of a family or the work of employees, consideration of the ripple effect is also necessary. Especially in cases where a spouse operates a company and shares economic interests, the possibility of one person's online activity turning into a business risk for the other increases. Of course, this does not mean that the expression of a specific view should be restricted just because critical public opinion has formed. However, this case reveals that freedom of expression and the resulting social and economic responsibility are not separate issues.

Doctor Esther Lyuh, a graduate of Seoul National University, and Hye-Gul Hong married in 1994 and have two sons. Esther Lyuh has established her position as an entrepreneur, operating a health functional food company with annual sales in the 300 billion won range. While they are familiar to the public as a pleasant couple, this video clearly revealed the conflict between a wife trying to protect the business and a husband who considered his remarks to be trivial. The controversy that started from Hye-Gul Hong's Facebook post escalated to the suspension of company support, writing a memorandum, and mentioning a sale, causing the conflict between the two to go beyond a simple marital spat. Rather than trying to change her husband's thoughts themselves, what Esther Lyuh demanded seems closer to a request to responsibly consider the impact his remarks have on those around him.

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