Renowned first-generation supermodel Park Young-sun recently revealed her deep affection for her son, shedding tears during the process.
On the March 11th episode of KBS 1TV's variety show 'Hwang Shin-hye's Living Together', Park Young-sun shared her story while traveling with Hwang Shin-hye, Jang Yoon-jung, and Jung Ga-eun.
Park Young-sun, a dominant figure in the 1990s modeling scene, was a versatile star who excelled in commercials, acting, and variety shows. She is especially known for being the muse of the late fashion designer Andre Kim, famously performing the 'Chilgap Mountain' act where she removed seven layers of clothing.
During the broadcast, Park Young-sun discussed her past marriage, revealing that she divorced when her son was 11 years old. She also mentioned that her son currently resides in the United States.
When asked if she frequently communicates with her son, Park cautiously recalled the past. She shared, "There was a time when my son called me crying," and continued, "It was shortly after the divorce. As he entered adolescence, he seemed to have conflicts with his father and called saying, 'Dad wants me to go to Korea.'"
However, she admitted that her heart breaks whenever she receives a call from her son, as it often indicates a problem. She said, "I once contacted my ex-husband, asking him not to unsettle our son."
Jung Ga-eun, who has a daughter of the same age, empathized, saying, "My daughter is also 11, and I can't imagine being apart from her. Wasn't it hard to leave him in the U.S.?" Park Young-sun replied, "Of course, it was heartbreaking," and confessed, "When contemplating divorce, my son was my primary concern."
She continued, "My son was everything to me, and it was incredibly difficult. I constantly debated whether to stay in the marriage for his sake or make a different choice." She added, "If I had only thought of myself, I would have brought him with me, but I realized that abruptly changing his environment wasn't the best decision."
Even after returning to Korea, she struggled to sleep, constantly thinking about her son. She confessed, "I usually talk as if everything is fine, but when it comes to my son, I still tear up," eventually breaking into tears.
Park Young-sun temporarily halted her career in 1999 and married a man she met in the U.S. in 2004. They had a son in 2005, but after a custody battle, she divorced and returned to Korea in 2014.
Reporter Na-yeon Cho, TenAsia nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr