Actress Jung Young-joo rules out remarriage, maintains close bond with former in-laws

Actress Jung Young-joo has firmly stated that she has no intention of remarrying. While expressing a desire to meet someone wonderful, she made a candid confession that she does not wish to marry again, drawing attention by revealing that she maintains a close relationship with her former in-laws following her divorce. Her story suggests that the end of a marriage does not necessarily mean the severance of all relationships.

During the 988th episode of the MBC variety program "Radio Star," which aired on the 4th, Ahn Jae-wook, Jung Young-joo, Nmixx LILY, and Yu Byeong-gwon appeared as guests. During the broadcast, Jung shared updates on her current life living with her parents. The reason her parents initially opposed moving in together was also noted as interesting, as they were concerned about her dating life.

Jung responded to her parents' concerns with confidence. She reported that she pushed for the move-in by telling them, "What does that have to do with my dating life? I'll take care of it. I'll go out to play, and if it's urgent, I'll go to a hotel." Her position was that even while living with her parents, she would maintain her privacy and dating life independently. Her blunt and honest expression drew laughter in the studio.

As the conversation naturally turned to dating, Kim Gura asked Jung about the possibility of remarriage. In response to his question, "Couldn't you meet someone wonderful and marry again?", Jung did not deny the desire to meet a wonderful person, but she made it clear that she has no intention of entering the institution of marriage again.

“I want to meet a wonderful person. However, in my life, it is one marriage and one divorce,” Jung replied. While leaving the possibility of a new relationship open, she drew a line at remarriage. It was revealed that for Jung, who redesigned her life after experiencing marriage and divorce, marriage is no longer a process that must be undergone.

Even more notable was her ongoing relationship with her former in-laws following her divorce. Jung stated that she still stays in contact with them, saying, "My former in-laws take good care of me and treat me fondly." She shared that when she appears on broadcasts or in dramas, her former in-laws contact her first to react by saying, "That looks fun." Although the marriage has ended, the affection and interest toward one another remain.

She did not describe her relationship with her former in-laws simply through the framework of a former daughter-in-law and former in-laws. Jung described it as "a relationship between a woman and a woman rather than a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law." This signifies that human intimacy continues even after the formal relationship of marriage has disappeared. Her story felt special in that a bond formed under the name of family can remain a relationship of mutual respect even after a divorce.

Jung married a man four years younger than her in 2000 and divorced in 2013. Since then, she has been a single mother raising her son while continuing her career as an actress. Having built her own life through marriage, divorce, and child-rearing, she showed on this broadcast that she does not hide her choices or conform to the views of others.

Her firm declaration against remarriage and her unchanging affection for her former in-laws may seem contradictory at first glance, but they ultimately stem from how Jung views relationships. By not being bound by the form of marriage while maintaining human affection and respect, her honest confession provided a new perspective on life and family relationships after divorce.

Read the original (Korean)