'Sundori' Lee Geon-joo reunited with his younger brother, who was adopted to France 41 years ago and has lived as a Frenchman, after about 20 years. They became closer while sharing a warm meal they prepared themselves.
On Dec. 10, broadcast on TV CHOSUN, 'Dad and Me,' actor and shaman Lee Geon-joo traveled to France to meet his biological brother, whom he did not even know existed, having been adopted to France as a child. Lee Geon-joo's younger brother, who grew up in France right after birth, was completely French in terms of nationality and language, and could not speak Korean. Lee Geon-joo said, 'My brother is Lee Geon-cheol. I was so happy to learn about his existence, but in a way, I feel sad and sorry because it's almost like he was abandoned.' He also noted, 'I always wanted to meet my brother. Even though I didn't know, I want to say I'm very sorry on behalf of our mom and dad... I want to tell him he had a tough time and give him a hug' as he arrived in France, where his biological brother resides, after a long 14-hour flight.
Thinking about meeting his younger brother, Lee Geon-joo, who had written a letter in French with the help of a translator and translation app, felt anxious as he arrived at the train station in the city where his brother lives, wondering, 'What if he doesn't come out? What if he gets angry the moment we meet?' Just then, Lee Geon-joo's younger brother, Lee Geon-cheol, appeared with a bright smile. Lee Geon-joo hugged Lee Geon-cheol and burst into tears, saying, 'I missed you. I'm sorry.' Lee Geon-cheol responded, 'Thank you for coming here. It's been almost 20 years. I'm glad to see you again.'
The reason why the two were able to recognize each other at once was because they had already reunited in Korea 18 years ago. At that time, Lee Geon-cheol came to Korea with adoption documents to find his roots. That was when the two first met each other. However, due to cultural and language differences, they lost contact because of minor misunderstandings. Lee Geon-cheol expressed his joy of the reunion, saying, 'I was happy to see my brother in person, and I was glad we could meet again as siblings. I'm pleased to be able to talk honestly about what happened back then.'
To accommodate his exhausted brother after the long journey, Lee Geon-cheol prepared accommodations, and Lee Geon-joo brought Korean food and snacks all the way from Korea for his brother. He also prepared a dinner with 'kimchi made by his aunt.' Lee Geon-joo suggested that his brother rest in his room, but Lee Geon-cheol said, 'It feels lonely to be in the room, and I want to be together. It would be sad to be apart again after not seeing each other for almost 20 years, so I want to stay close.' Touched by those words, Lee Geon-joo thought to himself, 'I made my brother feel very lonely. I was lonely too,' as he secretly wiped away his tears while doing the dishes.
Lee Geon-cheol, who was simply happy next to his brother, hummed to himself and played pranks, enjoying their time together to the fullest. The brothers, who had grown closer, shared a Korean meal together, including kimchi jjigae and dak-bokkeumtang, which Lee Geon-joo cooked for his younger brother, as well as myoung-namul and perilla leaves he brought from Korea. When his younger brother praised the food, Lee Geon-joo forgot about his own meal and made sure to serve his brother at least one side dish. Lee Geon-cheol declared, 'It would be great to eat like this every day,' recognizing his brother's cooking skills. Lee Geon-joo said, 'Just looking at the food makes me feel full. I thought to myself, where can you find anything happier and better than this?' Despite being apart for about 20 years, Lee Geon-cheol said, 'Everything felt natural and comfortable.' Lee Geon-joo also shared his feelings about reuniting with his younger brother, saying, 'Even without talking, our actions came first, and just looking into each other's eyes made me feel like I understood. I felt a desire to do anything for him. This time together felt so wonderful that I questioned whether it was a dream or reality.'
In the next episode of 'Dad and Me,' the hidden family story of Lee Geon-joo and Lee Geon-cheol will be revealed. Lee Geon-cheol said, 'Why was I sent for adoption? Why was one left and only one sent for adoption?' and, 'Why didn't our parents fulfill their parental roles?' revealing the accumulated curiosity over the years. In response, Lee Geon-joo noted, 'I didn't know either, but our brothers...' as he first revealed the hidden story about his younger brother's adoption. The truth of the adoption that Lee Geon-joo's younger brother Lee Geon-cheol will learn after 41 years will be featured in TV CHOSUN's 'Dad and Me,' airing every Tuesday night at 10 p.m.
[Photo] Provided by TV CHOSUN
[OSEN]