Mother insults daughter as dating app conflicts escalate into physical fights

A mother and daughter appeared on tvN STORY's "Lee Ho-seon's Counseling Center" on the 20th to address a relationship fractured by excessive control and verbal abuse. The conflict intensified after the mother called her daughter "like a bar girl" following the daughter's pattern of meeting eight boyfriends in just two months.

A mother who was worried about her daughter meeting eight boyfriends in just two months eventually unleashed harsh verbal abuse. While the mother views the daughter's dating style as unstable, the daughter feels suffocated by excessive interference and control. What began as concern for one another escalated into intense arguments and physical altercations, leaving both mother and daughter deeply wounded by the words exchanged.

In the episode of tvN STORY's "Lee Ho-seon's Counseling Center" broadcast on the 20th, a mother and daughter appeared to discuss their conflict surrounding dating apps. The mother, who applied for the session, revealed that her daughter, who previously never wore makeup, suddenly began grooming herself and was meeting men through dating apps.

The mother was particularly concerned about the speed of her daughter's relationships. She confessed, "When you break up, you should take a break, but she starts dating someone else in just a week; it seems like she has met eight boyfriends in two months." She also expressed concern regarding dating locations, noting that the daughter accepts suggestions from men to meet in places like DVD rooms, which the mother views as unconventional. "I wish she would have a more mature relationship," the mother expressed in frustration.

The conflict over the daughter's dating has spread to their entire relationship. The mother claimed that instead of understanding her concerns, the daughter responds by saying, "Why do you care? Don't care if I live my life however I want." The mother also expressed resentment, feeling that the daughter acts kind to others but is uniquely harsh toward her. The two reportedly moved beyond verbal arguments to physical altercations, including pushing each other and throwing objects.

The mother appears to have been suffering deeply over her daughter's dating issues. She revealed that she applied to "Lee Ho-seon's Counseling Center" as a final attempt to seek help, having previously considered making her daughter independent and cutting off contact. She noted that she tried wearing makeup for the first time during this broadcast, explaining that she previously had no opportunity and her husband did not like her wearing makeup.

However, the daughter's perspective was different. She argued that the mother's attitude of trying to control her entire daily life is a bigger problem than the fact that the mother is worried. While the mother noted that no actual problems have occurred with the dating apps yet, she explained that it felt abnormal to hear conversations about traveling with men they had not even met face-to-face. During their arguments, the daughter even told her mother, "A person like you should not become a mother."

The daughter explained her remark by claiming the mother's control is excessive, stating, "There is a curfew, and I have to get permission two months in advance to stay out overnight." She clarified that she said those words because of her mother's "interference, obsession, and inability to trust a single daughter." For the daughter, the very lifestyle of needing permission for outings and staying overnight, in addition to choosing romantic partners, is a source of frustration.

Before addressing the daughter's remark, counselor Lee Ho-seon examined what the mother had said to the daughter. When asked what words hurt her the most, the daughter made an unexpected revelation: her mother told her she was "like a bar girl." The studio atmosphere grew heavy at the claim that the mother insulted the daughter's character simply because she continues to meet men.

Lee Ho-seon pointed out to the mother, "You were wrong. You said something truly too harsh." When asked how she felt upon hearing those words, the daughter gave a short response: "So what?" The daughter's reaction, which failed to even easily reveal if she was hurt, hinted at the depth of the emotional rift between the mother and daughter.

This case demonstrates how intense conflicts can become between a parent's desire to ensure a child's safety and the need to respect the privacy of a child becoming an adult. While concerns can be raised regarding rapid dating and meeting strangers, if worry leads to insults and control, the relationship may instead drift further apart. Conversely, a child desiring independence needs an attitude of examining and taking responsibility for the risks associated with their choices. For this mother and daughter, the most urgent task remains stopping the blame and verbal abuse aimed at changing one another and re-establishing the boundaries between safety and autonomy.

Read the original (Korean)