Hong Seok-cheon has shared the heartfelt reason behind adopting his nieces and nephews as his own children.
On the October 9th episode of TV Chosun's variety show 'Joseon's Love Conqueror,' Hong Seok-cheon was seen meeting with his future in-laws ahead of his daughter's wedding.
Hong adopted his two nieces and nephews, raising them as his daughter and son. He was the one who initiated the adoption conversation. "My younger sister, who had divorced, was in the process of finding new love but ended up with a man she should never have met. It was a bad situation. As soon as I got the call from my sister, I told her to 'bring the kids and get out quickly.' They came to me for refuge," he explained.
His sister had kept the situation hidden, fearing it would worry her youngest brother, Hong Seok-cheon. "I somehow found out, and I couldn't stand to see it happen again. I told her I'd take responsibility for everything, so she should come up. They came up in the middle of the night," he said, wiping away tears. When the production team commented, "Family seems precious to you," Hong replied, "Family is special to me."
Hong Seok-cheon began to share about the adoption process, saying, "Originally, I didn't think about adopting." He continued, "After my younger sister's first marriage failed, she must have been very conscious of others' opinions. Before being a mother, she's a woman who deserves to find her own happiness." He added, "I found out I could adopt them into my family registry," explaining his decision to adopt.
When asked if anything changed after the adoption, Hong's daughter said, "My life changed drastically from that day. I have a sense of psychological stability." She also expressed her affection for Hong, saying, "I never regret it." When she asked, "Aren't you glad you adopted us?" Hong replied, "Of course, I am."
The topic of Hong's adoption process also came up during the meeting with the in-laws. Hong stated, "The first reason was for my sister's life. I told her not to worry because I would take responsibility for the kids. That's how I decided." When the in-law commented, "Your sister was so young," Hong expressed gratitude, saying, "She was too young to go through that. You understand her feelings."
Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr