Baek Il-seop's daughter finally decides to immigrate, "I was thinking of leaving"

Baek Il-seop and his daughter, whom he met seven years after his graduation, spent time getting to know each other deeply. In addition, daughter Baek Ji-eun's decision to immigrate to Malaysia, which she had thought about for a long time, became a hot topic and caused sadness.

TV CHOSUN's 'Dad and Me', which aired on the 6th, ranked first in overall viewership ratings, including dramas, with a viewership rating of 4.9% (Nielsen Korea, nationwide), proving the 'Namjin effect'.

On this day, Baek Il-seop's best friend and 'older brother' Nam Jin appeared and expressed his affection for his children. Nam Jin showed off his love for his daughter, saying, "I tend to express my love a lot. I kiss her on the cheek dozens of times a day." However, he expressed his regrets about his only son, saying, “I was a bit mean to him.”

Next, Nam Jin recalled the memory of his father opposing his dream of becoming a singer and said, "He was extremely opposed to it, asking why you, the eldest grandson, should become a pungkakgi. At the time, it was a disgrace to the family." He also said, "He was hospitalized in a hospital in Seoul, but they told him not to stop by his house and to go straight back to his hometown in Mokpo. He passed away not long after that."

Afterwards, Nam Jin said, "I watched Baek Il-seop's broadcast. It was so good to see. I was moved to tears because I could see with my own eyes that a father loves his daughter. Anyone can do that. There can be conflicts," he said, gathering courage and meeting his daughter for the first time in seven years. I expressed my consolation to my best friend Baek Il-seop, whom I reunited with.

In the video, father and daughter Baek Il-seop, who went to visit the old workplace of their daughter Baek Ji-eun, who worked as an exhibition planner, for the first time in a long time, looked back on the story of their daughter who had no choice but to commute 150 km every day from Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do to Paju, where she worked. Baek Il-seop recalled the time, saying, “(Ji-eun’s) mother said, ‘You’re going through so much trouble, so why don’t you give us a room?’, but I was against it.” He added, “But if you said you were going, I told you not to be my daughter.”

He then confessed how he had no choice but to oppose, saying, "At that time, it was a time when I couldn't even imagine a woman living separately." However, as time passed, Baek Il-seop, who passed by with his daughter on his way to work, said, "I always thought. As I passed by, I thought that you also walked around here like this," and expressed his sincere thought of always thinking only of his daughter.

Finally, the father and daughter arrived at Baek Ji-eun's former workplace, which was previously used as the home of Joo Yeo-jeong, a character in the popular drama 'The Glory'. Baek Il-seop took the time to look around the exhibition and rediscover aspects of his daughter he had never known before. After the daughter reunited with her former boss, the gallery CEO, in tears, the father and daughter listened to stories about their work life while eating refreshments. Nam Jin, who was watching, did not hold back in his praise, saying, "When we first met, he looked like he was in his 20s. Bright, clear, powerful and happy. It's so nice to see an expression and atmosphere that I haven't seen in Il-seop."

At this time, Jeon Hyun-moo took the opportunity to send a love call, saying, “I want to invite you to this world with your daughter.” Nam Jin then skillfully avoided the question by saying, “You have to ask your daughters,” making everyone laugh. Baek Ji-eun said with tears in her eyes, "I had a lot of fun today. I felt like it was 'my day' without the kids. I felt like I met someone who was useful to me." Lee Seung-yeon expressed her sympathy by saying, "Many mothers will sympathize with this. After giving birth, the name disappears."

Soon, at the restaurant, Baek Ji-eun again raised the topic of immigration to Malaysia. He had told Baek Il-seop several times before that he was “planning to immigrate in December,” and even brought a booklet to show him, giving him time to persuade and understand once again.

Baek Il-seop, who had previously strongly opposed it, expressed his regret in an interview, saying, "If the vision is better than here, we should applaud it. What's disappointing is, I don't know how much time is left, but we won't be able to see it often. Then, I'll be sad again." He then expressed bitterness, saying, "It's confusing again. If you see things like that, let's meet and say goodbye. Isn't that the way life is?"

Baek Ji-eun said, "When I first started this program, I planned to have a 'happy ending' with my dad and leave feeling relieved," but added, "If we are physically separated, won't there be fewer opportunities for communication? I saw it often (with my dad) and it felt nice and affectionate, and that's what I thought." “It’s not lighter than that,” he said, revealing his sincerity.

Baek Il-seop and his daughter also visited the home of actor Lim Hyun-sik, who is a very close junior to them. Baek Il-seop, who saw his junior Lim Hyun-sik's pure white hair and full beard, could not hide his surprise, saying, "You are completely my brother!" Lim Hyun-sik expressed his joy by saying, “I thought spring would come first, but my friend came first.” The two actors, who even recalled memories from their rookie days, had a great time delving into the rookie days of 'national actor' Choi Bul-am. In response, Jeon Hyun-moo looked at Nam Jin and jokingly said, "(When you were a rookie) you didn't dance with your legs shaking because you were nervous, right?", making him laugh.

Soon, Lim Hyun-sik's second daughter and his wife, who live together in a separate building, appeared, and a 'daughter-bragging competition' ensued. Baek Il-seop joked to Lim Hyun-sik, saying, "Yes, you should be nice to that son-in-law. Fart well." Although the two were close friends over the years they had known each other, they also engaged in a fierce battle of rankings due to their age. Even the children shook their heads at the sight of the fathers arguing fiercely, even mentioning student numbers. They had a great time hitting each other with informal yet sharp jokes. Baek Ji-eun, who was interviewed later, said with tears in her eyes, "(Lim Hyun-sik's daughter) seemed close to her father, holding hands, petting each other, and it was really pretty that they had no hesitation with each other. It was great to see them in harmony."

Next week, the bitter feelings of father Baek Il-seop, who is about to make a decision regarding his daughter's immigration, and the last images of his mother that Nam Jin remembers will be revealed. In addition, a Buyeo tour will be held with father and son Park Si-hoo and Julian, a 'Korean foreigner'.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr