Singer Won Hyuk breaks into tears while vowing to stand alone

Trot singer Won Hyuk sobbed during a KBS1 broadcast on the 4th as he expressed his desire to be evaluated as an independent artist rather than as the son-in-law of comedian Lee Yong-sik. Following the birth of his daughter in May, Won Hyuk shared his determination to provide for his family by stepping out from his father-in-law's shadow.

Singer Won Hyuk broke into tears on a live stage while thinking of his wife and daughter. His heartfelt confession of wanting to shed the label of being comedian Lee Yong-sik's son-in-law and stand proudly under his own name revealed the responsibilities and concerns of a head of a household, moving beyond a simple musical challenge.

During the 'Challenge! Stage of Dreams' segment of KBS1's 'Morning Forum' broadcast on the 4th, trot singer Won Hyuk appeared as a new challenger to share his activities and his sincerity toward his family. The stage held special meaning for him, as it was the first time he frontally expressed his desperate wish to be evaluated solely as the singer Won Hyuk, stepping out from the shadow of his famous father-in-law.

Won Hyuk first mentioned his father-in-law Lee Yong-sik and his wife Lee Su-min, sharing details of his happy family life. "At first, my father-in-law opposed the marriage, but we were able to marry thanks to the support of many people. Now, we are living happily with our beautiful daughter," he stated. Having overcome tribulations surrounding the marriage to form a family, his family has become more precious to him than anything else.

However, unlike his happy daily life, his reality as a singer has not been easy. Won Hyuk directly addressed the cynical comments directed at him. He confessed that there were comments such as, "How long are you going to keep benefiting from your father-in-law?" and "You are only an entertainer thanks to Lee Yong-sik." He explained that he did not pay much attention to them at first, as he was actually grateful to be able to start his broadcasting career through his father-in-law's help and to appear on programs with him.

But with the birth of his daughter, a different weight was placed on his heart. It was not a simple greed for his own success, but rather the growing realistic concerns of a head of a household who must take responsibility for his family. Won Hyuk revealed his thirst for independent activities, noting, "In the past, when broadcasting offers came in, I often appeared together with my father-in-law or my wife Su-min. There were not many programs looking for only the singer Won Hyuk."

In that sense, 'Challenge! Stage of Dreams' was a special starting point for Won Hyuk. Giving the stage special significance, he said, "This is the first stage where I am the protagonist," adding, "I want to be a wonderful father to my daughter and a proud husband to my wife, who went through a difficult process to marry me." His determination to live as a person who is not ashamed of his family contains both the pressure he has endured and the responsibility he must prove in the future.

Won Hyuk made his goal even clearer. It was a declaration: "Now, I will stand proudly under my own name as trot singer Won Hyuk, not as Lee Yong-sik's son-in-law." He seemed to understand better than anyone that while a background as a family member of a celebrity can provide opportunities, it cannot replace subsequent achievements.

Sul Woon-do, who served as a judge that day, also supported Won Hyuk's challenge. Sul Woon-do evaluated the performance, saying, "Appearing on stage today was a masterstroke," noting that he felt the sincerity. He further emphasized the necessity of the challenge to grow into an independent singer, advising, "Now you must step out from behind your father-in-law and stand alone."

The emotional peak of the broadcast occurred during a video message to his wife and daughter. When Kim Hye-young requested him to deliver a message to his family, who were watching the broadcast at home, Won Hyuk finally could not suppress his emotions and sobbed. Although he had calmly expressed his will to stand alone earlier, the mention of his family caused him to break into tears.

"I really intended not to cry today. Su-min told me not to cry," he said through tears. He further confessed, "It was a much more nervous and heavy stage than during the trot competitions." This was because the pressure to prove his potential for the sake of his family was greater than simply being evaluated on his singing skills.

He also shared how his attitude toward life changed after his daughter's birth. "Looking at my daughter, I came to think that a father can do it, that there is nothing a father cannot do. Nothing in the world is scary anymore," he said, stating that his family breathed new courage into him. He followed this with a vow, "For my beloved wife and daughter, I will become a singer who does my best on any stage in the future."

Won Hyuk, who was first known to the public as Lee Yong-sik's son-in-law, now faces the task of proving his presence through his own music and performances beyond that description. The tears shed on the live broadcast showed that the process is by no means light. In a moment where the responsibility toward his family and the desire to be an independent singer intersected, Won Hyuk once again clarified the direction he must take forward.

Won Hyuk married Lee Su-min, the only daughter of Lee Yong-sik, in April 2024 after a long courtship. The couple drew attention by revealing their story of facing opposition from Lee Yong-sik during the marriage process on broadcast, and they welcomed their first daughter this past May. As his love for his family becomes the driving force for his new challenge, attention is focused on what musical achievements Won Hyuk will continue to pursue under his own name.

Read the original (Korean)