On the October 24th episode of TV Chosun's 'X's Private Life', Park Jae-hyun appeared in the studio to discuss the complex emotions he felt while observing the life of his ex-wife, Han Hye-joo, who is 16 years his junior, after their separation.
In the VCR revealed during the show, Han Hye-joo seemed to be living a peaceful life in an apartment with her daughter, but the revelation of her true identity as a shaman shocked the cast.
Han Hye-joo confessed that she received a spiritual calling immediately after the divorce and now runs a shamanic shrine, stating that this was an inevitable path she had to take to follow the divine way. Park Jae-hyun revealed that he only learned about her spiritual calling a year after it happened, reflecting on the contrast between his past efforts to maintain their family and the current situation.
The couple's relationship turned sour due to a pivotal event, and they continue to have differing memories of the incident.
During a sensitive period before their daughter, born with a congenital heart defect, was to undergo surgery, Han Hye-joo recalled a conflict over serving meals to her in-laws, which led to a deep emotional wound due to her husband's indifference. She tearfully recounted how Park Jae-hyun's reaction during a hyperventilation episode while she was breastfeeding, and his ultimatum about living together if she couldn't properly care for his parents, led her to decide on divorce.
In contrast, Park Jae-hyun explained that caring for his parents was a sensitive issue for him, and his mention of divorce was not a genuine intention to separate but rather an attempt to assert his authority as the head of the family, expressing his frustration over the misunderstanding.
Reporter Chaeryeong Lim, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr