In the extreme realism documentary entertainment program 'Lovers of Joseon' on TV CHOSUN, international couple Julien Kang and Park Ji-eun, now in their first year of marriage, shared real-life difficulties while living with their mother-in-law. Additionally, the family of Lee Kyung-sil, gathered together, moved everyone by taking longevity photos of her '97-year-old' mother. Alongside this, Choi Sung-guk revealed the 'gender of the second child' that had everyone's attention, and the broadcast that day encompassed the entire lifecycle from birth to marriage to old age, resonating deeply with viewers. The ratings in the metropolitan area reached 2.8%, with a peak rating of 4.0% recorded (Nielsen Korea, metropolitan area 기준).
On the 21st broadcast of 'Lovers of Joseon', Choi Sung-guk, who had previously announced the pregnancy news of their second child 'Hambak-i', finally revealed the baby's gender. Before announcing the gender, Kim Gook-jin said, "I feel it's a daughter. There is a feeling and a flow to it," showing his intuition. In response, Choi Sung-guk was taken aback and said, "That's right. I thought it was a son... The baby's mother said, 'Oppa, I feel it might be a daughter.'"
Meanwhile, on that day, the newlywed life of Julien Kang and Park Ji-eun, who held a romantic outdoor wedding as an 'international couple' a year ago, was revealed. Surprisingly, Julien Kang was living with Park Ji-eun's mother. The third floor of their newlywed home was designated as the couple's space, while the second floor was a shared space with the mother-in-law.
While the couple was exercising in the basement, the mother-in-law headed to the balcony on the third floor, which served as the bathroom for the dogs. At that moment, the mother-in-law couldn't overlook the mess on the third floor and began to tidy up. The MCs expressed concern, saying, "I don't think Julien Kang will be happy about this." As expected, when Julien Kang returned after exercising, he was surprised to find the third floor cleaned up and called his wife Park Ji-eun, who had gone out. Julien Kang exploded, saying, "You don't have to clean! We can do it ourselves!" Kang Su-ji noted, "(Julien Kang) might find it harder to understand because he's a foreigner," while also expressing empathy for the mother-in-law's position, saying, "Whether it turns out great or terrible, if we leave it alone... it's going to turn into a real pigsty."
Additionally, the mother-in-law prepared bibim-guksu and chive pancakes for Julien Kang. However, Julien Kang was on a diet ahead of an important shoot. Even in front of his mother-in-law's food, he said, "I'm so sad. Your cooking looks so good," while reluctantly eating his diet meal. The mother-in-law expressed her disappointment to the production team, saying, "It was so upsetting that he didn't eat a single bite." Julien Kang explained, "(The distancing from) my mother-in-law might be misunderstood. This distance is somewhat... (a sign of) respect for her," shedding light on the cultural differences with the West.
Meanwhile, Lee Kyung-sil invited all four generations, including her grandson Lee Hoon, to take a family photo before her son Son Bo-seung's military enlistment, while also taking a 'longevity photo' of her 97-year-old mother. Lee Kyung-sil shared stories of her father, a 'former guard' who retired when she was in elementary school, and revealed that she suffered from meningitis due to poverty and stress during her first year of middle school. Furthermore, when Lee Kyung-sil was in her third year of middle school, her father suffered two strokes due to cerebral infarction. Recalling that period when "there was always the smell of patients in the house," Lee Kyung-sil expressed gratitude to her mother, who fully supported her as the head of the household, allowing her daughter to attend university, despite taking care of her father, who couldn't maintain his health.
At 97 years old, Lee Kyung-sil's mother welcomed her descendants with a healthy appearance. Lee Kyung-sil said, "You must treat Grandma better than Mom when you grow up. Mom made the money, but Grandma raised you," she continued, "So, I feel sorry for our mom... and I'm grateful... Thinking about my mom chokes me up," and she shed tears. Lee Kyung-sil's mother, who raised her grandson Son Bo-seung from the age of 65 to 90, candidly shared her feelings with the production team, saying, "(When Bo-seung revealed the pre-marital pregnancy) I was truly upset. There are still many things to do. Hearing that he got pregnant at a young age was shocking." Son Bo-seung also recalled the resentful phone call he had with his grandmother during the time he was estranged from his mother. Lee Kyung-sil expressed, "The grandmother's heart had quieted down regarding the mom, but wouldn't it get noisy again with your issues?... This is the story. Anyone can be the grandmother, but the daughter comes first," reflecting her mother's priority for her daughter over her grandson. Furthermore, she revealed, "Mom was also harsh on you out of more concern," expressing her emotional turmoil.
Before heading out to take photos, Lee Kyung-sil personally assisted her mother with makeup. As her mother awkwardly applied lipstick, Lee Kyung-sil concealed her feelings of disappointment and carefully applied the lipstick for her. Watching this, Kim Gook-jin could not hold back tears. After arriving at the photography studio, Lee Kyung-sil explained the reason for taking longevity photos in an interview with the production team, saying, "If my mom were to pass away, I wouldn't want to say, 'She lived beautifully until this age,' rather I want to say, 'This is an old photo of my mom.'"
The site of the longevity photo shoot of Lee Kyung-sil's mother was filled with the bright laughter of Lee Kyung-sil and her mother, seemingly aiming to leave behind precious memories to recall one day. However, the grandchildren on-site, as well as the loving MCs watching through a VCR, burst into tears, quickly turning it into a sea of tears.
[Photo] Provided by TV CHOSUN
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