Shin Ae-ra reflects on evolving family dynamics in new YouTube video

Actress Shin Ae-ra shared reflections on her changing family life in a video released on the 'Aera-ne' YouTube channel on the 24th. While traveling in Wonju, Gangwon Province, she noted how her children have grown to prepare meals and how the family expanded following her eldest son's marriage last year.

Actress Shin Ae-ra shared touching reflections on the evolving meaning of family, noting how her children have grown to care for her and how the family has expanded with a new member following her eldest son's marriage.

On the 24th, a video titled "How about a family trip?" was released on the YouTube channel 'Aera-ne'. In the video, Shin Ae-ra spent relaxing time in Wonju, Gangwon Province, with her husband Cha In-pyo and her family. Rather than just visiting famous tourist attractions, they enjoyed the small pleasures of travel by visiting a local market to observe the daily lives of the people there.

While walking through the market, Shin Ae-ra remarked, "Even if you don't necessarily buy something, it is fun and healing to walk around and look at the various things and how people live." She explained that there is sufficient joy in simply walking and looking around without a special purpose. Her ability to find happiness in ordinary daily life rather than flashy sights added depth to her subsequent stories about her family.

Her playful side was also revealed during a scene where the family enjoyed games. Introducing herself as the "Queen of Games," Shin Ae-ra joked, "When they were young, I used to play with the children, but now we play together. I wonder if the children are playing with me." This signifies that while parents once led and cared for their children, the children have now grown to spend time with their parents at an equal level.

Above all, what brought a smile to Shin Ae-ra's face was the significant growth of her children. She boasted, "Now the children make the barbecue and set the food," adding, "After we eat, they even handle the cleanup." The children, who constantly required their parents' touch when they were young, have grown into adults who prepare food for the family and take charge of the aftermath. Watching her children care for her brought Shin Ae-ra feelings of pride mixed with a sense of regret for passing time.

"When they were young, I wondered when they would grow up and waited for them to grow quickly, but that day I was waiting for has come so fast," Shin Ae-ra confessed. "When I look at photos from when they were young, sometimes tears come to my eyes." She revealed that after the period of parenting, where one wishes for children to grow quickly, she now finds herself missing those days. She offered advice to parents exhausted by parenting: "Just endure a little longer. That day comes faster than you think." She meant that moments that feel overwhelming now will become memories that cannot be returned to as time passes.

The conversation regarding the changes in the family deepened. Shin Ae-ra said, "The appearance of the family changes as the children grow up and become independent, new members join, and loved ones leave our side." She reflected on the process of life, encompassing not only the changes of children growing up and becoming independent and new spouses joining the family, but also the process of eventually parting with loved ones. It implies that family is not a static entity but continues in new forms through the changes in time and relationships.

She emphasized, "Even this moment will one day become a nostalgic past and a memory," and added, "The fact that we can walk together, laugh together, and simply be together is something to be grateful for." She further added, "On the last day of my life, the day I miss most will not be a grand day, but a day like today, spent together like this." This suggests that an ordinary day spent walking and laughing with loved ones can ultimately remain a more precious memory than special anniversaries or grand achievements.

Shin Ae-ra married actor Cha In-pyo in 1995 and has one son and two daughters. Her eldest son, Cha Jeong-min, held his wedding last year, and Shin Ae-ra and Cha In-pyo have opened a new chapter for their family by welcoming a daughter-in-law. As the children move past childhood into adulthood and new members are added, they are creating a different form of family than in the past. Shin Ae-ra's confession, reflecting on the time spent raising her children and the memories to be built in the future, prompted a reconsideration of the value of being with family today.

Read the original (Korean)