Comedian couple Son Min-soo and Lim La-ra recently revealed the reason they temporarily halted their activities.
On the 16th, a video titled "I didn't know it would be this difficult.." was uploaded to the 'Enjoy Couple' channel. It has been over a month since they last uploaded a video on March 2.
The couple explained that many people were worried about the lack of video uploads through DMs and comments, stating, "We felt we should share our current situation before it gets too late, so we turned on the camera abruptly." They revealed that they had been busy preparing for a child while simultaneously working hard on YouTube and broadcasting, thinking that if they got ready together for a baby, it would naturally happen. However, it turned out to be more challenging than they expected.
After returning from Africa, they began preparing for a second child in the latter half of last year, but despite six months of attempts, they failed to conceive naturally. Lim La-ra noted, "Because of my age, I fall into the category of advanced maternal age biologically and medically, and I heard that if you don't conceive within six months after turning 35, it is considered infertility. This year, I will be exactly 35 years old," adding, "I was cautious about marriage, and the reason it took so long was that I didn't want to enter a marriage with someone who wants a child without being able to take responsibility. We had many discussions about whether I could truly have a child and how I would manage work, and through this continuous validation and confirmation, we ultimately headed towards marriage."
He said, "So, I wanted to get pregnant quickly. But when I was doing 'Sgae-pa,' I got an injury, and they said not to try for six months. If my stomach grows, it would affect my rehabilitation and I could end up limping for life. So, right after taking a six-month break, while playing soccer, Min-soo also injured his ankle ligaments and had to delay things for three months. At that time, I had a health check, and I was diagnosed with pericarditis, meaning I had to take medication for five months, so over a year passed just like that. When I thought it was finally time to get serious, I wanted to meet the children supported by Africa and thought that if I put in the effort until here, it might work out."
Son Min-soo said, "But during the process of returning from Africa, I got vaccinated, and they said I couldn't try for a few months." He explained that after returning from Africa, he was left with no choice but to prepare for a second child. He was confident, saying, "If I don't do it, that's it for me," but he experienced continued failures, leading to stress and difficult times.
Lim La-ra remarked, "Women often become aware of their failures through their menstrual cycles. When I see blood, especially since I usually experience severe PMS due to hormone changes, I become so sensitive that I even need to take medication. Combined with the stress, it makes it even harder. During that time, Min-soo was also struggling. We couldn't put enough effort into our YouTube channel, which led to unsatisfactory results, and even though we were focusing on work, we were spending about 80% of our energy on this. By the fifth month, we both exploded, and we argued more violently than ever in our 12-year history. I felt we couldn't go on like this. Honestly, I had that thought. It's known that the process of preparing for pregnancy is often harder on women than on men, and I hoped Min-soo would understand, but he didn't back down either."
Son Min-soo mentioned, "I am not a perfect person, so my understanding was limited," and Lim La-ra added, "There are times when you can see the ovulation ultrasound, and it lets you know that ovulation is imminent. It can be painful. The ultrasound during the endometrial thickening is uncomfortable, but Min-soo assumed when I went, it would be an easy abdominal ultrasound. But that's not the case for me. Reflecting on that moment, I started to cry. He said, 'It was tough then. I was sensitive and difficult. I was feeling bad, and with homework on top of that, I began to question whether marriage was right. We kept fighting. Having a child is supposed to bring happiness, but is it right to go through this much difficulty to conceive? That was the period I went through."
However, this situation prompted them to self-reflect. Lim La-ra stated, "I asked around, and the number one piece of advice I received was not to be stressed. We were under too much pressure. And we were overworking ourselves. We were managing numerous platforms ourselves. Many successful predecessors who succeeded in pregnancy advised us to cut back on work, so we temporarily paused video uploads."
He said, "I'm so grateful for the work that comes in. I used to accept everything, but then I thought I might miss out on something important. We could drift too far apart, so we entered a relationship recovery project. We went on trips together. Especially, I struggled with homework that didn't match my style. They said that with natural conception homework, we should approach it like carpet bombing, so that didn't suit us well, but I, being a model student, still did my homework very diligently. However, I failed in the sixth month when transitioning to infertility. My mental state was breaking down, and I thought I might develop depression, so Min-soo suggested that we go to Bali to improve our mood. But while we were in Bali, I ended up getting bitten by a monkey, which meant I had to get rabies shots, further extending the period during which I couldn't get pregnant.
Lim La-ra expressed, "Why do these variables keep happening to us? Anyway, we decided to consult an obstetrician, and when I explained our situation regarding the frozen eggs, the doctor confirmed that we were indeed facing infertility. They recommended in vitro fertilization because it was clear we were having a hard time. I have friends who went through in vitro fertilization, and when I reached out, they shared positive outcomes. Encouraged by their positive experiences, we decided to proceed with in vitro fertilization, but it was particularly difficult for me because I have always lived my life aiming to achieve A with my efforts. The uncertainty of relying on nature didn't suit me at all. Even though six months is short, it felt incredibly tough. Everything about the situation was incompatible with me. Plenty of challenges remained unspoken between us. This is what I recalled about that time."
Despite that, we took the time to foster a positive mindset and went through a process of maturing over the six months. Lim La-ra noted, "In the end, I can say that things improved in our relationship after we started in vitro fertilization. I had my eggs collected three years ago. The collection process for in vitro is tough. While the medication process can be difficult, I found that following the doctor's instructions reduced my mental stress significantly compared to the uncertainty of natural conception. I realized I needed to share my current situation without delay because I received so much help from those who uploaded their vlogs about their struggles and their experiences with the journey of preparing for natural and in vitro conception. I hope our experience may encourage those who are also going through tough times, saying, 'She's going through that too; I need to cheer up and keep trying.'"
At the same time, she emphasized, "We're getting along very well, so you don't have to worry. Also, if any articles about discord emerge, it will be a big problem." Son Min-soo added, "Next time, I'll also share what kinds of conversations we had during this process." Lim La-ra expressed, "Everyone has their own pace, and the timing for blooming differs. We also went through an unfortunate phase in life. We had to take a break because we couldn't possibly bring them joy. But lately, things have gotten better again. Our mood has fluctuated, and as a result of sharing our current situation, we will honestly show our eating shows and daily lives battling infertility to provide information. We always wish for the happiness of our Enjoying community."
[Photo] OSEN DB, Enjoy Couple
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