Comedian Kim Byung-man reiterated his stance regarding the official position he previously stated about the adoption daughter custody termination after his divorce from ex-wife A. Kim Byung-man expressed his hope that his ex-wife's biological daughter B would not be hurt due to this issue.
On the 8th, the Seoul Family Court ruled in favor of the custody termination lawsuit filed by Kim Byung-man against B. Kim Byung-man married A, who is seven years older, in 2010 and adopted A's biological daughter B as his legal child.
Legal adoption is a system that recognizes adopted children as legal offspring born during marriage, terminating the legal relationship with biological parents, and taking the surname and lineage of the adoptive parents. However, during his divorce proceedings with A in 2020, Kim Byung-man also filed a lawsuit for custody termination regarding B.
At that time, Kim Byung-man filed the custody termination lawsuit twice, but it was dismissed because B did not desire the termination. Eventually, in November 2024, Kim Byung-man applied for a third custody termination lawsuit, and later, B claimed that Kim Byung-man had an extramarital child during the period when he was maintaining his marriage with A, filing a lawsuit to confirm the biological relationship at the Seoul Family Court.
In this regard, Kim Byung-man acknowledged that he has two children with his fiancée, explaining that "they met and had children after the marriage deteriorated."
Additionally, through an official statement after the custody termination, Kim Byung-man noted, "The custody termination was recognized due to acts of parental alienation as a result of false accusations." However, that phrase was not included in the judgment document.
In connection with this, Kim Byung-man's side told OSEN, "Recently, the expression 'recognition of parental alienation due to false accusations' was interpreted merely as an acknowledgment of various factors along with the false accusations and should not be confused with differences in the interpretation of the judgment document, and we regret any confusion this interpretation may have caused."
Furthermore, Kim Byung-man's side expressed, "We deeply apologize for causing concern due to unfavorable articles regarding the custody termination process, and we are truly regretful. Kim Byung-man did not have a wedding with Seok Mo in 2010, but began his marital life with a marriage registration, and he adopted a child who was 9 years old at that time as a legal child."
He continued, "Afterward, we began living separately in 2012, and during the separation period, in July 2019, a dispute arose regarding Kim Byung-man's grants and other income, leading to the initiation of divorce proceedings, and during the divorce proceedings, he filed the first custody termination lawsuit in 2020, followed by the second custody termination lawsuit in 2022."
Kim Byung-man's side stated, "In November 2024, through the third custody termination lawsuit, on August 8, 2025, the Seoul Family Court ruled in favor of the custody termination regarding the children who have now exceeded 25 years old, considering the welfare aspect and the incompatibility with each other's interests."
Additionally, Kim Byung-man's side explained the process from the custody termination lawsuit to the ruling, adding, "Kim Byung-man hopes that his adopted child will no longer be hurt due to the marriage registration with Seok Mo."
Meanwhile, Kim Byung-man registered his marriage to A in 2010. However, he began living separately in 2012 and initiated divorce proceedings in 2019, culminating in a divorce in 2023.
Amid the reports of the divorce, his ex-wife claimed through a media outlet that she had been habitually subjected to domestic violence by Kim Byung-man during their marriage and that the matter has been referred to the prosecution through a criminal complaint.
In contrast, Kim Byung-man's side countered that although his ex-wife alleged habitual domestic violence in the divorce proceedings, it was not accepted, and regarding the criminal complaint, the police expressed an opinion of non-indictment on the assault allegations, referring it to the prosecution. Kim Byung-man received a disposition of no charges from the prosecution for all charges.
Kim Byung-man, who has two children, is set to marry his fiancée on September 20.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]