The struggles between a stay-at-home dad and his working mom wife were unveiled.
On the October 20th episode of MBC's 'Oh Eun-young Report - Marriage Hell', for the first time in the show's history, a couple with the husband on paternity leave was featured. The 'paternity leave couple' caught viewers' attention as the husband was eager to return to work, while the wife was strongly opposed. The episode recorded a 2.3% viewership rating in the metropolitan area according to Nielsen Korea, with a 0.9% rating among the 2049 demographic, maintaining its top spot across all channels for two consecutive weeks.
Married for nine years with three children, the 'paternity leave couple' consists of a husband who is a coast guard on a 20-month paternity leave, taking care of the children and household chores. The wife, a ship design engineer, had asked her husband to take the leave until she could establish herself at work. The husband expressed his longing to return to work, having not been able to go out properly since taking the leave.
During the broadcast, the wife reacted sensitively to her husband's minor mistakes and tone, sending him harsh text messages about his housekeeping habits, shocking viewers. She confessed, "Once I get angry, everything feels unfair and I can't control it," feeling as if her husband intentionally disregards her when he breaks small promises. The husband, in turn, broke down in tears in front of the production team, saying, "I feel sorry for the kids, but it's hard to endure, and I feel like I'm going crazy."
Financial issues were also at the heart of their conflict. The husband invested 150 million won on a friend's recommendation, but retrieving even the principal is uncertain. The friend who suggested the investment has since passed away, leaving the studio in shock. The wife lamented, "Even though my annual salary exceeds 100 million won, we live off a negative balance account, with over 2 million won in monthly interest." She hoped her husband would find a way to recover the principal. Meanwhile, the husband was disheartened by his wife's focus on the principal amid the friend's death.
Dr. Oh Eun-young advised, "The husband is someone who believes 'what's good is good,' while the wife is precise and responsible. To the husband, the wife may seem harsh, and to the wife, the husband may seem frustrating. They need to view each other from different perspectives."
Additionally, the wife revealed her painful childhood experiences of being bullied by a relative, realizing she was emotionally abusing her husband in a similar way. She expressed her desire for her children not to experience the same deprivation and frustration she did. Dr. Oh comforted her, saying, "The pain from your childhood is not your fault," and explained that the wife's deep sense of inadequacy stems from not having been valued as a child.
Dr. Oh suggested that the wife allow her husband to return to work, reassuring her that the environment her children are growing up in is different from her own childhood. She advised the husband to understand the importance of acknowledging his wife's correctness and to be receptive to her words.
The 'paternity leave couple', who had even prepared divorce papers, shared heartfelt messages with each other. The husband said, "You made the right decision. Don't worry, I'll always be by your side," while the wife admitted, "I realize my shortcomings have caused you much hardship. I'll strive to change." Their words brought warmth to the viewers.
Kim Se-ah, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr