Singer and broadcaster Lee Ji Hye is sparking debate over remarks about English kindergartens.
Lee Ji Hye exchanged questions and answers with fans on her personal social media on the 10th. In the exchange, a fan asked, "Will I regret not sending my child to an English kindergarten (young English kindergarten)?" Lee Ji Hye brightly replied, "No no. If a mother has conviction, she doesn't have to follow others."
However, debate erupted on some online communities and parenting forums over Lee Ji Hye's answer. The issue was that Lee Ji Hye had reportedly sent both of her daughters to English kindergartens, and her eldest daughter, a first grader, is known to attend a private elementary school with annual tuition reaching 12 million won.
Some criticized Lee Ji Hye's answer, saying, "She can't say that after sending all her kids to English kindergartens," and "advice disconnected from her reality." The dominant reaction was that people could not sympathize with advice that differed from her actual circumstances.
There were also defending opinions. "She can say it because she experienced it herself," "Should she have said they'd regret it?", and "The point is that educating children is each person's choice and you just shouldn't be swept up by others."
Lee Ji Hye previously confessed about English kindergartens, "Honestly, if I had three kids it would have been difficult to afford. It's just too expensive." Her forthright remarks about English kindergartens have attracted more attention.
Lee Ji Hye is a singer from the mixed-gender group S# (샵). She married tax accountant Moon Jae-wan in 2017 and they have two daughters. Recently, in addition to broadcasting, she is actively active on her personal social media and the YouTube channel "Not a hateful attention-seeking sister."
[photo] OSEN DB, source: SNS.
[OSEN]