Korean Star Son Dam-bi Opens Up About 'Luxury Parenting' Controversy

Korean singer and actress Son Dam-bi candidly addressed the 'luxury parenting' controversy surrounding her daughter, Hae Yi.

On November 1, Son Dam-bi's YouTube channel 'Dambi Son' released a video titled 'Behind the Scenes of Son Dam-bi's Working Mom Life: From First Birthday Party to Photoshoot.'

In the video, Son Dam-bi discussed her daughter Hae Yi's extravagant first birthday party. She admitted, "Before it even started, I forgot so many things, it was chaotic. As soon as the event ended, I left with Hae Yi. I didn't even eat and ended up having tteokbokki at home."

Meanwhile, her husband stayed until the end to take care of the guests. Son Dam-bi shared, "My husband had to see everyone off, so he ate without knowing if it was going into his nose or mouth. It was exhausting."

She also recalled a moment of mixed emotions. "I was so moved, but then Hae Yi suddenly peed, and my emotions crumbled," she laughed. However, after watching the video again, she ended up in tears. "As a year passed by, I got emotional," she confessed.

Her husband, on the other hand, had a different reaction. Son Dam-bi noted, "I got emotional, but my husband didn't cry at all. All our friends cried. When I asked him why he didn't cry, he said he just held it in."

Regarding the first birthday tradition where Hae Yi grabbed a microphone, Son Dam-bi said, "I didn't expect her to grab the microphone, but she picked money second. Honestly, I preferred the money." She laughed at her daughter's choice, which differed from her husband's hope for her to pick skates. The skates were made from gold melted down by her mother-in-law.

Son Dam-bi and Lee Kyu-hyuk held their daughter Hae Yi's first birthday party in April at a five-star hotel garden in Seoul. Addressing the recent 'luxury parenting' controversy, Son Dam-bi clarified, "People think I buy a lot for Hae Yi, but everything was gifted. I haven't bought anything for her."

She added, "We received many gifts not only for her first birthday but also for her 100th day." Son Dam-bi emphasized that she doesn't indulge in excessive spending, saying, "I don't buy a lot of clothes for the baby, just basics like pajamas or socks," sharing her realistic approach to parenting.

Son Dam-bi married former speed skater Lee Kyu-hyuk in 2022 and welcomed their daughter Hae Yi through IVF last year.

Reported by Kim Eun-jung, Ten Asia