Actress Jeong Yeong-ju opened up about family matters, from why she moved in with her parents two years ago to the current condition of her son, who experienced a serious accident.
On the 7th episode of KBS 2TV's Malja Show, Jeong Yeong-ju appeared as a guest. Her mother was also in the audience that day. Jeong Yeong-ju expressed delight, saying the whole family are fans of Malja Show.
Jeong Yeong-ju said she has been living with her parents for two years. She said she was the one who first suggested living together. She joked, "Mom's home cooking is delicious," but said the real reason was her parents' health. Her parents had been living on the fourth floor of an old apartment building without an elevator but rarely complained about the difficulty. Jeong Yeong-ju said she suggested moving in because she worried an emergency could happen, saying, "When my mother said she was having a hard time, my father said we should live together too. Since I'm alone, I thought, why not live together — wouldn't it be fun?"
She also described how her daily life changed compared with when she lived alone. Jeong Yeong-ju said, "When I lived alone I didn't talk much. It was silence," then laughed, saying she now both nags at and listens to her parents. She added, "Still, having parents is a blessing at my age," showing her affectionate feelings.
She also reflected on the time she grew up with her son. Jeong Yeong-ju said her son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was young and that she went through many trials and errors during the parenting process. She said she had to closely look after the difficulties he faced in social life, and there were times when emotions and opinions clashed and they had big confrontations. She said, "I can't do it alone. I need to get advice and study," explaining that she constantly talked with her son and worked to understand him.
She particularly recalled the harrowing moment when her son experienced a serious accident. Jeong Yeong-ju said, "The child collided with a car and spent a long time hospitalized," revealing he suffered fractures around the eye socket as well as severe injuries to his cheekbones, eyes and teeth, and that "about 1,400 stitches were required," which surprised listeners. Even so, her son, who had dreamed of being a beatboxer at the time, continued beatboxing after the major injury. Jeong Yeong-ju said that watching her son in that way actually motivated her.
She said her son has now become independent and is managing his life well. She added that he has grown to the point of comforting his mother maturely, saying, "I felt that the child had enough time. I realized we must respect the child's time."
Based on her parenting experience, Jeong Yeong-ju urged parents, saying, "Children have only one childhood," and asked them to wait even if they are clumsy, find ways to enjoy time together, encourage them, and give praise.
[Photo] "Malja Show"
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