Kim Sae-rom on marriage 9 years post-divorce: "I've let go of all conditions"

Broadcaster Kim Sae-rom has candidly revealed her evolved views on marriage following her divorce. She explained that after entering her 40s, her criteria for choosing a spouse have shifted from objective factors like appearance, occupation, or wealth toward the personal charm of a partner and the essence of the relationship. Notably, having already established her own independent life, she stated she would not demand specific economic conditions from a partner, even using the expression, "Someone who can hitch a ride on my life."

During a meal with a friend of 13 years on the YouTube channel "Wake Up, Kim Sae-rom," released on the 26th, Kim discussed her views on marriage. The theme of the video was "Marriage Conditions in Your 40s."

When Kim asked her friend, "What kind of marriage style would suit me?" and the friend replied, "Vintage," Kim laughed and said, "I have let go of a lot." She emphasized, "There is a huge difference between just saying you'll let go and actually letting go."

In response, her friend advised that the key to marriage is not simply lowering one's standards, but whether one is willing to meet a specific person and adjust themselves for them. Through this conversation, Kim explained how much her perspective has changed from the past.

Kim analyzed how criteria for a spouse change with age. She noted that in one's 20s, with less social experience, people tend to choose partners based on personal charm. In their 30s, as marriage becomes a more realistic consideration, people begin to weigh specific conditions such as appearance, wealth, occupation, and education.

However, now that she is in her 40s, Kim explained that she has returned to looking at the person's inherent charm.

"Now that I'm in my 40s, I look at charm again, just like in my 20s," Kim said. "I've completely let go of things like conditions." She added, "I have built the circumstances to live my life, so I just need to add one person to it. Someone who can hitch a ride on my life."

This statement shows a shift in values from viewing marriage as an economic or social union to seeking an emotional companion after having already established a foundation for life. It can be interpreted as a preference for a marriage where she welcomes someone into her existing life, rather than evaluating a partner's conditions to supplement her own.

Kim's views are not unrelated to her own marriage experience. Born in 1987, Kim debuted in the entertainment industry through a supermodel contest in 2004 and has since expanded her career as a broadcaster. She has built a reputation for her direct speaking style and bright personality through various programs, including "Section TV Entertainment News" and "Family Arcade."

In 2015, she married Chef Lee Chan-oh after dating for approximately four months. While the quick marriage drew significant attention at the time, the couple eventually announced their divorce in 2017. Because the time from marriage to divorce was relatively short, the relationship drew intense public interest.

Since then, Kim has been relatively open about her life and values through broadcasts and her personal channels. She has frequently indicated that her perspective on marriage has changed over time.

The focus of her recent remarks lies in the meaning of "letting go of conditions." This does not imply she has given up on marriage itself, but rather that she is reducing the weight of easily quantifiable criteria—such as economic power or social status—in favor of emotional satisfaction and mutual adaptability within the relationship.

In fact, social perceptions of marriage are also changing. While marriage was strongly linked to institutional functions like housing, economics, childbirth, and family formation in the past, there is a growing trend to view it as a lifestyle choice rather than a mandatory life stage, driven by increased individual independence.

Kim's comment about having "built the circumstances to live my life" aligns with this shift. Rather than seeking economic stability or social status through marriage, she aims to maintain her established lifestyle while bringing an emotional companion into it.

Ultimately, Kim's use of the term "hitch a ride" is less about economic meaning and more of a declaration that she will not demand a partner take responsibility for her life, nor will she evaluate a partner's life based on material conditions. It reflects how a broadcaster in her 40s, having experienced divorce, now views marriage through a different lens.

Nine years after ending her marriage, Kim Sae-rom now views marriage as a matter of the person rather than a matter of conditions. While her past marriage began with a brief courtship and a quick decision, her future view of marriage seems to prioritize the sustainability of the relationship and mutual acceptance over material criteria.