Korean Actress Song Ok-sook Opens Up About Adoption and Personal Growth

Korean actress Song Ok-sook recently shared her heartfelt journey of adopting her eldest daughter on the YouTube channel 'Song Seung-hwan's Wonderful Life'.

In the episode titled 'Actress Song Ok-sook Episode 5 - A More Mature Life Through Raising Three Children', Song Ok-sook revealed the reasons behind her decision to adopt. Officially, she has one son and two daughters, but she clarified, "I only gave birth to one daughter. The son is my husband's child from a previous marriage, and the eldest daughter was adopted."

Song adopted her daughter Ji-won, a mixed-race child of Filipino descent, in 2007. She recounted, "I gave birth to my daughter at 41, and when I was pregnant with my second child, I had a miscarriage. The doctor advised me not to be saddened by the miscarriage and suggested that I should not plan on having more children."

Feeling as though she had been told her life as a woman was over, Song Ok-sook was initially disheartened. However, she decided to do something positive, and upon her husband's suggestion, they adopted an 8-year-old girl who was left without a home due to her parents' divorce.

Now, her eldest daughter is 27, and her second daughter is 25. Song expressed, "I hoped they would grow up like sisters, being only two years apart. Adopting and raising a child wasn't easy given my strong personality, but it was a necessary process for me to become a better person."

Song Ok-sook admitted that her natural disposition is strong and rough, but she learned that raising children is about love, not conditions or deals. "Through the process of giving in and accepting, I discovered a softer side of myself," she shared.

Recalling a past incident, Song mentioned how a camera director once told her to stop opening her eyes so wide, as it was unappealing on screen. She practiced opening her eyes slowly and later played a charismatic role in 'Squad 38'. "In the past, my charisma would naturally come through, but now I had to work hard for two hours to capture it," she confessed.

Song Ok-sook also shared that a film industry acquaintance commented on how she had lost her charisma, comparing her to actress Lee Hye-young. Despite this, Song is content with her transformation, stating, "I like who I am now. I used to be compared to Hye-young, but now she's untouchable, and I've come down to earth. Still, I prefer my current self."

Regarding her grown children's marriages, Song said, "I'm strongly encouraging them to marry. I find the trend of young people choosing not to marry uncomfortable," emphasizing the importance of family life.

By Eun Jung Kim, TenAsia Reporter eun@tenasia.co.kr