Jung Jae-yong didn't pay child support, but he owed 200 million won

Jung Jae-yong, during a credit recovery consultation, discovered he had approximately 200 million KRW in debt. Facing this reality, he vowed, "I can do any job, even manual labor, to send child support to Yeonji," committing to continuous change.

On the 19th episode of Channel A's variety show 'Dad is a Flower Middle-aged Man,' aired on the 5th, the '52-year-old single dad' Jung Jae-yong began credit recovery procedures with the sole intention of creating a bank account for his daughter Yeonji, whom he hadn't seen for two years since his divorce, to send her child support. The episode also showed him visiting a fortune teller with his agency's CEO to inquire about the possibility of reuniting with Yeonji.

Lee Ji-hoon was busy from the morning preparing for his mother-in-law's first visit to Korea. He decorated the house with handmade 'welcome banners' and flower balloons and picked her up from the airport. The mother-in-law was emotional upon seeing her granddaughter, Ruhee, and brought numerous gifts from her suitcase, including her daughter's favorite convenience store bread. She immediately went to the kitchen to make Ayane's favorite dishes, hamburger steak, and hijiki salad. Ayane, excited by her mother's home-cooked food, showcased a 'mukbang' (eating show), making her mother proud.

After the meal, Lee Ji-hoon's mother visited, leading to a warm conversation about postpartum care between the Korean and Japanese in-laws. Lee Ji-hoon then left his daughter with his mother and took Ayane and his mother-in-law on a tour of the 'hot spot' Seongsu-dong. Despite the excitement of taking 'life shots' during their first outing since childbirth, the heatwave warning made them visibly tired. Facing this 'crisis,' Lee Ji-hoon revealed he had prepared a surprise video call with the male lead of the drama 'Marry My Husband,' a favorite of his mother-in-law. The video call featured Lee Yi-kyung, who played the 'villain' role, making his mother-in-law happy and causing laughter when she asked him to take on a good role next time.

Back home, Lee Ji-hoon hosted a pajama party, boasting, "In Korea, you can order late-night snacks until 2 AM," and ordered a variety of foods like tteokbokki, chicken feet, jokbal, and tanghulu. While his mother-in-law was unfamiliar with chicken feet, she enjoyed the tteokbokki. During the party, Lee Ji-hoon gifted her earrings worn by Park Min-young in 'Marry My Husband,' marking his 'filial piety flex.' However, he confessed to the 'flower dads' in the studio that his mother-in-law liked the video call with Lee Yi-kyung the most, bringing a bittersweet smile.

The episode also revealed the daily life of '52-year-old single dad' Jung Jae-yong. He was emotional upon receiving his first income in two years from appearing on 'Dad is a Flower Middle-aged Man.' He immediately paid off a 400 KRW debt at the local convenience store and gave a drink as a token of gratitude. Returning to his office, he cleared his desk of cigarettes and replaced them with a framed photo of his daughter Yeonji, determined to quit smoking. He then visited the Financial Welfare Support Center with his agency's CEO.

Jung Jae-yong discovered he had about 30 million KRW in unpaid health insurance premiums and asked if there were any additional unpaid debts. Watching from the studio, Kim Gura commented, "It seems to be around 200 million KRW. No wonder his life was a mess," sharing the sentiment.

The consultant, realizing the severity of the situation, explained the credit recovery methods step by step. They also confirmed that it was possible for Jung Jae-yong to create a bank account in his daughter Yeonji's name to send child support. They advised, "Significant changes are needed in your current lifestyle. You must do any job and work tirelessly to increase your income for your daughter's sake." Jung Jae-yong vowed, "I can do any job now. I will send the maximum child support I can, consistently."

After the consultation, Jung Jae-yong visited a nearby fortune teller with his agency's CEO, who mentioned it was a place he visited when feeling troubled. The fortune teller bluntly told Jung Jae-yong, "Money is leaking," which he admitted. He cautiously asked about the possibility of reuniting with his ex-wife and when he might see his daughter Yeonji again.

The experts advised, "It's your fault. Accept that you fell from the top and face reality." They added, "You have good fortune for the next three years, so misunderstandings might be resolved around Christmas, and you could reunite." However, they also said, "A complete recovery of your relationship with your daughter seems likely after you turn 73. You must continue to make consistent efforts until then," leaving Jung Jae-yong feeling troubled.

Back home, Jung Jae-yong started 'home training.' He firmly resolved, "I will continue dieting along with personal rehabilitation." At night, he stared at his daughter Yeonji's photo on his desk and confessed, "I miss you so much, it's driving me crazy," expressing his deep longing. The 'flower dads' offered warm words of encouragement, saying, "Consistency is key," supporting Jung Jae-yong.

By Taeyuna, TenAsia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr