Actress Hwang Jung-eum declares lifelong commitment to singlehood

Actress Hwang Jung-eum declared she never wants to marry again for the rest of her life during a YouTube video released on the 21st. Reflecting on her nine-year marriage to Lee Young-don, she expressed a desire to return to 2015 to focus on her acting career, though she noted she would choose her two sons, Wang-sik and Gang-sik, over returning to the past.

Actress Hwang Jung-eum has drawn attention by sharing her candid feelings regarding marriage. She offered unfiltered reflections ranging from a desire to return to the era when she shone most as an actress to a firm declaration that she "never wants to marry for the rest of my life." However, her feelings toward her two sons were different; she expressed deep maternal love, stating that her choice to return to the past would change if it meant considering her children.

On the 21st, a video titled "A Day Receiving a Barrage of Questions from the Hwang-geum-ies" was released on the YouTube channel 'Hwang Jung-eum.' Answering various questions from subscribers, Hwang spoke honestly about marriage, childbirth, parenting, and even the study abroad plans for her two sons. Her unvarnished answers captured her changing perspectives through marriage and the realistic concerns she feels as a mother.

When asked when she would go if she could return to the past, Hwang replied, "I want to go back to 2015, before I got married." Describing that time as "a period when I shone as an actress," she expressed nostalgia for the days when many people sought her out. This signifies how special that period remains to her, as she was actively working as an actress and receiving public love.

However, when the condition was added that she would not be able to meet her two sons, Wang-sik and Gang-sik, her choice changed. "If I think about not being able to meet Wang-sik and Gang-sik, I would choose Wang-sik and Gang-sik. They are so beautiful," Hwang said. Separately from her desire to return to the time before marriage, she indicated that she could not choose a life without her children. It was a confession that her present with her two sons is more precious than her longing for her past self.

She offered even more decisive advice to subscribers contemplating marriage. "Don't get married. I don't want to marry for the rest of my life until I die," Hwang said. She added, "Living together is okay. I hate being legally tied," noting that "it took nine years to divorce." She described her current mindset as "complete singlehood." This part of her response honestly revealed how her views on legal relationships have changed after experiencing marriage and divorce.

She also shared her experience during childbirth. Hwang revealed that she gave birth to her first son, Wang-sik, through natural childbirth, enduring labor for a full 24 hours. Regarding the situation at the time, she confessed, "I don't remember the time of childbirth." She added a surprising detail that while medical staff expected the baby to weigh 3.8kg for the natural delivery, the actual weight was 4.18kg. Hwang recalled that the doctor apologized after the birth, recounting the difficult experience.

Her parenting methods for her two sons added a touch of her characteristic humor. She stated, "Since I am an actress, I sometimes act. I do a bit of crazy acting." She explained that when the children do not listen, she performs exaggerated acting, even loosening the focus in her eyes, which causes the children to watch her closely and become quiet for a moment. She added that the effect lasts for at most five minutes, drawing laughter. She also mentioned that when the children do not listen, she sings yodeling songs, noting that changing the atmosphere with song makes the children laugh and become much softer.

Regarding the study abroad plans for her two sons, she revealed realistic concerns. "Actually, life has been so hectic and difficult lately that I have suspended preparations for studying abroad," Hwang stated. While she wants her children to experience a wider world, the daily routine itself is currently too overwhelming to continue preparations. It appears that a specific schedule or a time to resume the plans has not yet been determined.

She expressed her honest feelings about being apart from them, saying, "The children are so beautiful that rather than sending them alone, I think I would just go with them." At the same time, she emphasized, "But I still want to send them. I want to show them a wider world. Nothing is as precious as experience." It shows the conflicting heart of a mother who wants to gift her children diverse experiences while also wanting to care for them personally by their side.

Hwang Jung-eum married former professional golfer and businessman Lee Young-don in 2016 and has two sons, but announced her separation in 2024. In this video, while revealing her thoughts on marriage without concealment, she also showed her affection for her two sons and her worries about the future. Her confession contained the honesty of a person reflecting on her own life and the realistic concerns of a mother raising two children, as she expressed a desire to return to her days as an actress, a firm stance on the institution of marriage, and a wish to show her children a wider world.

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