Actress Kim Yong-rim recently shared her past experiences with in-law challenges.
On the September 30th episode of SBS's variety show 'Dolsing Fourmen,' Kim Yong-rim appeared alongside Seo Kwon-soon and Lee Kwan-hee for the 'K-Strong Hunter' special.
During the show, Kim was asked if she learned her intense mother-in-law acting from her real mother-in-law. She revealed, “My mother-in-law is from the Jang family of Indong, a descendant of Jang Hee-bin. My late husband, Nam Il-woo, was an only son.”
She continued, “Back then, people advised against marrying an only son, saying it would be tough. There's a saying that there's no good in being the only daughter-in-law because it feels like you're taking away their son's love.”
Kim described her mother-in-law as “a beautiful and sharp woman.” She added, “There was no physical hardship, but there was mental stress. When feeding the baby milk, it had to be sterilized well. One day, I asked, 'Mother, did you sterilize the bottles well?' She didn't answer. I went to change clothes, and suddenly I heard a crash. She had smashed all the bottles, questioning why I asked when she obviously did it well.”
Kim further shared, “I never looked my mother-in-law in the eye. I always looked down. Once, when I talked back, she broke the living room window with a chair.”
Kim admitted she once considered divorce, saying, “When my daughter was just over a year old, I said I couldn't live like this and suggested divorce. My husband asked for a week to think. We were both busy, and that's how we continued living together.”
Kim Yong-rim married actor Nam Il-woo in 1964, and they have a daughter and a son. Their son, Nam Sung-jin, married Kim Ji-young in 2004. Nam Il-woo passed away in 2024 due to old age.
Reported by Tae Yuna, TenAsia youyou@tenasia.co.kr