'Baek Dong-sung's Daughter' Bae Su-jin, 26-Year-Old Single Mom "If My Son Wants, Traveling with Ex-Husband's Girlfriend Is Possible" ('Unni Hanten')

Published 03 Feb.2021 05:15(KST)

Photo by SBS Plus, screenshot from the broadcast of 'Unni Hanten Malhaedo Dwae'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Comedian Bae Dong-sung's daughter Bae Su-jin confessed the hardships of being a single mother.

On the 2nd, Bae Su-jin appeared as a guest on SBS Plus's 'Unni Hanten Malhaedo Dwae.'

Bae Su-jin introduced herself, saying, "I got divorced 8 months ago and am raising my four-year-old son alone," adding, "I am a 26-year-old woman raising a four-year-old son."

She revealed, "Watching my parents' divorce during high school caused me great pain, and with the mindset of 'I will never get divorced and never hurt my child,' I decided to marry at the young age of 23."

Bae Su-jin, who has an older brother and younger sister, said, "I was the only one who grew up with my father. My dad had many business trips to the provinces. Since I lived in the U.S., I didn't have many friends. I was lonely, so I got married early. I wanted to settle down quickly," she confessed.

Bae Su-jin said, "For two years after marriage, I tried to avoid divorce and endured day by day. But for the sake of my child, I decided to get divorced. I wanted to create a happier and more comfortable home than one filled with conflict."

She added, "After divorcing my husband and raising my child alone, I vowed not to pass on the loneliness that comes with being a single-parent family to my child. I felt a lot of loneliness living only with my divorced father. If my child wants to see his dad, I always let him meet him."

Bae Su-jin, who spends 24 hours a day with her child after the divorce, confessed, "I worry because I see my child showing signs of loneliness."

She said, "No matter what we do at home, my son follows me everywhere. He even chases me into the kitchen to read books. He says, 'Mom, stay here, sit down.' Because of COVID-19, we stay home all the time, so he feels lonely. He plays puzzles alone. It's sad that he has no siblings and is alone."

She continued, "I'm not good at expressing myself, but I try to show a lot of love so my child doesn't feel lonely," adding, "If my child wants, I can even go on a 2-night, 3-day trip with my ex-husband."

When asked, "Wouldn't it be difficult if your ex-husband gets a girlfriend?" Bae Su-jin replied, "If my ex-husband's girlfriend agrees, it's okay. They can come along."

An expert advised, "It's better not to reveal a new romantic partner when the child is young. Revealing a new partner is a parent-centered way of thinking. From the child's perspective, it feels like someone is taking away their parent's love."

Looking shocked, Bae Su-jin said, "I don't badmouth my ex-husband. We promised each other not to speak ill of one another in front of our child, even if we hate each other."

The expert added, "Parents who fight to death and say, 'We're staying together because of you' are the worst. Su-jin is doing very well. If you let go of guilt, you can increase your child's happiness. But be careful not to use your child as a messenger in conversations. Some parents ask their children questions like, 'Is there a woman's stuff at dad's house?'"

Bae Su-jin strongly agreed, saying, "Watching my parents' conflicts made me anxious and suspicious. I easily broke up with boyfriends because of that."

She also said that recently her child wants to see his father a lot, adding, "I'm scared that after raising my child with care, he might say, 'I hate mom, I want to live with dad.' I'm worried about what to do if that happens during adolescence."

The expert said, "Parenting is about raising a child well in a better environment. When the court decides custody, if the child is over 13, they ask for the child's opinion, but they consider various factors comprehensively. Let go of the thought that you can't do everything for your child. Even when raising a child together, many fathers fail to fulfill their role."