Park Si-eun and Jin Tae-hyun regret delaying child planning until their 40s

Actors Park Si-eun and Jin Tae-hyun expressed regret over delaying pregnancy preparations until their 40s during a YouTube video released on October 30. Having experienced two miscarriages and the loss of a child 20 days before birth, the couple advised those desiring children to plan as early as possible.

Actors Park Si-eun and Jin Tae-hyun have shared honest reflections on their past indecisiveness regarding child planning, expressing regret over delaying preparations to enjoy their newlywed life. Having endured the pain of two miscarriages and the loss of a child just 20 days before birth, the couple advised juniors who desire children to make plans as early as possible, noting that they did not begin serious pregnancy preparations until they were already in their 40s.

On October 30, a video titled "Park Si-eun and Jin Tae-hyun's Couple School Lecture 2: The Earlier the Better, Responsible Child Planning" was released on the YouTube channel Park Si-eun and Jin Tae-hyun's Little TV. During the video, the couple discussed the topic of child planning that couples must consider together, sharing thoughts derived from their own experiences.

Jin Tae-hyun stated that the choice of couples who do not wish to have children should be respected. "If people have decided not to have children, then do not have them. If the two of you are truly happy, then it is okay," he said. However, he emphasized that for couples who do want children, it is crucial not to delay plans. "Speaking as those who have experienced this, we tell you: do it quickly. Have a baby quickly and give birth quickly. This is a truly important matter," he stressed.

Jin Tae-hyun also noted that giving birth in one's 20s is advantageous in many physical aspects. While Park Si-eun acknowledged that there are many cases of healthy births in the 40s these days, she explained that there is an inevitable difference in physical strength compared to experiencing pregnancy and childbirth while young. "If the body is young, it is not as difficult and recovery is fast. The physical strength is completely different," she said. Jin Tae-hyun agreed, adding, "It is on a different dimension. Between the 20s, 30s, and 40s."

Above all, Park Si-eun expressed regret that the couple should have hurried their preparations for childbirth from the time they married. "I was 36 and Tae-hyun was 35 when we married. So, the starting point was already very late," she recalled. Reflecting on the time they thought they would have children after enjoying their newlywed life a bit longer, she blamed themselves, saying, "It was already late then, but we were very immature."

In reality, the couple only began serious preparations for pregnancy in their 40s. "The truth is, we started preparing to have a child in our 40s. So, it was already too late," Park Si-eun said. Looking back on their decision at the time, Jin Tae-hyun shook his head and said, "We were crazy." While it was a candid expression arising from the process of retracing the time the couple has passed together, it suggested the depth of their late-realized regret.

Park Si-eun also shared an anecdote about how seniors around her advised her to prepare for childbirth first at the time of her marriage. "I heard, 'Si-eun, if you're married, have a baby first. But if you try to have a baby, work will come to you. Still, have the baby first,' but it didn't resonate with me much at the time," she recalled. She explained that while they prioritized their newlywed life and work back then, they only understood the meaning behind the seniors' advice after time had passed.

She revealed that she now finds herself telling similar stories to junior actors and young people considering marriage. "The things adults said were not for nothing. They didn't say those things without reason; there was meaning in all of them," Park Si-eun said. She cited physical health, pregnancy possibility, and the physical strength required for childcare after birth as reasons to prepare for pregnancy early. However, as individual health conditions and circumstances vary, she noted the importance of couples discussing thoroughly and establishing a plan that fits them.

The couple married in 2015 and welcomed Park Da-bi-da, a university student they met at an orphanage, into their family in 2019. In the process of striving to have biological children, they experienced two miscarriages and received many congratulations after succeeding in a natural pregnancy in 2023. However, they drew public sympathy when news broke that they had lost their child just 20 days before birth.

Since then, Park Si-eun and Jin Tae-hyun have stopped their plans for a biological child and have been seeking ways to form a new family through methods such as adoption. This confession is read not merely as regret over missing the timing of childbirth, but as an intention to share the experiences they went through while preparing for pregnancy and childbirth over a long period with the younger generation. The couple urged couples who want children to make responsible plans by considering their lives and realities rather than vaguely waiting for "someday."

Read the original (Korean)