Actor Lee Byung-hun sparked a controversy over his character when he said to Son Ye-jin at an official event, "You never answered any questions about the child actor," prompting the mother of the child actor to come forward to clarify.
On the 19th, Son Ye-jin expressed her feelings about returning after giving birth at the production briefing of the film "No Way Out" (directed by Park Chan-wook), saying, "This is my first project since having a child, so I feel like it helped. I had played the role of many mothers before giving birth, but experiencing it for real was unlike anything else. My appearance with the child felt very natural."
In response, Lee Byung-hun tilted his head and said, "It's different from what I saw on set."
Lee Byung-hun explained, "The child actress, who is playing the role of my daughter, asked a lot of questions, and I kept answering her, often getting caught up and losing my focus during the shoot. However, actress Son Ye-jin never answered once. So when I said, 'Could you please answer?' she replied, 'Senior, please take care of it.' Hearing this, I thought, 'That was her mindset back then. She was holding back,'" he joked.
Son Ye-jin clarified, "I had a lot of questions because I was curious, but there were many emotional lines, and I had to focus on the director's detailed direction (in my work)." However, a video that edited only this scene spread on social media, resulting in a flood of negative comments directed at Son Ye-jin.
As the controversy escalated, the mother of child actor Choi Soo-yul eventually came forward. On the 24th, she posted on her Instagram story, "I found it to be a surprising part as well. It was a funny episode that we joked about," adding, "We feel aggrieved too. There will surely be a chance to tell our side later."
She further clarified, "The fact is, she was kind." It was later revealed that Son Ye-jin had personally prepared a hard-to-find toy as a gift for Choi Soo-yul. The mother had previously shared on social media, "The Aurora doll that even Santa can't get. Actress Son Ye-jin got it as a gift for me. Thank you. What a wonderful Christmas gift!"
Additionally, she mentioned that she has been receiving messages saying, "I'm telling the rumor about getting Son Ye-jin's number," or left supportive comments on Son Ye-jin's Instagram like "I miss you" and "Fighting."