The Supreme Court has finalized a ruling partially upholding a damages claim filed by the former daughter-in-law of singer Hong Seo-beom and singer Jo Gap-kyung against their son over the breakdown of a de facto marriage.
According to legal sources, the Supreme Court's First Petty Bench (special) on the 10th dismissed without a hearing an appeal in a damages lawsuit filed by the couple's former daughter-in-law, Ms. A, against their son, Mr. B, over the breakdown of a de facto marriage. As a result, the appellate ruling, which found for the plaintiff in part, was finalized.
A dismissal without a hearing is a procedure in which an appeal is rejected without a separate hearing on the merits when the court determines there is no ground for review as defined by law.
Ms. A filed the suit, claiming that the de facto marriage broke down in Sept. 2024 due to Mr. B's affair. She alleged that one month after she became pregnant, Mr. B engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a fellow teacher.
In Sept. last year, the first-instance court found Mr. B at fault for the breakdown of the de facto marriage and ruled, "Pay 30 million won in consolation money and 800,000 won per month in child support."
Ms. A appealed the first-trial ruling and subsequently continued a legal battle with Mr. B's side over issues including whether the parents-in-law stood by and the payment of child support.
The Daejeon Family Court's Domestic Affairs Division 1 (panel) handling the appeal also issued a partial win for the plaintiff on June 25. Ms. A, dissatisfied with that ruling, filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in July.
Immediately after the appellate ruling, Ms. A said, "So there really is no law for victims, is there. Even if I receive consolation money, because of the money I gave as an investment, I have to pay more, and the child support remains the same. These perpetrators who appear on health broadcasts, attend school just fine, and were preparing for certification exams—are they being helped to live well."
She continued, "That's why there are so many affairs. If there had only been the crime of adultery, at least there would have been detention and I would have felt relieved. I'm so resentful," adding, "Why do I, the victim, have to suffer more and take losses to live? I even have evidence I didn't disclose—do I really have to hide it."
After the lawsuit became known, the couple said, "Regarding our son's recent divorce lawsuit reported in the media, we bow our heads and deeply apologize to the public for the disappointment and discomfort caused."
They added, "Through our son's legal representative, we will strictly guide him so that his obligations under the first-trial ruling, including child support and consolation money, can be promptly fulfilled," and said, "Above all, we fully respect the other party's decisions regarding the birth and upbringing of our granddaughter, and we will stay by our son's side so that, as the father of one child, he can fulfill his responsibilities to the end."
In response, Ms. A countered, "Apologize not to the public but to me and my child's family. When things blow up, you pretend to apologize to the public," adding, "A false apology. A forced apology. The brazen attitude remains the same. It's been three years, counting by calendar years, of bringing this to broadcasts. Everyone, please keep helping so this doesn't fade easily."
Hong Seo-beom and Jo Gap-kyung married in 1994 and have one son and two daughters. The two have appeared on family entertainment programs such as SBS "Star Junior Show: Bung-Eo-Bbang" and JTBC "Yuzasik Sangpalja," sharing their family's daily life.