Couple Struggles with Communication Differences on 'Oh Eun-young Report – Marriage Hell'

A couple known as the 'Sharp Couple' has decided to work on understanding each other better after facing conflicts due to their different communication styles.

On the October 9th episode of MBC's 'Oh Eun-young Report – Marriage Hell,' a wife who feels hurt by her husband's overly honest remarks and a husband who believes that insincere words are hypocritical were featured.

The wife has been running a shaved ice shop since early August 2023, for over a year. Her father set up the shop using his retirement funds to support her, as she was concerned about her husband's income. Despite her efforts, the shop struggles with low customer turnout, except during the peak summer season when monthly earnings reach 2.5 to 3 million won. Most of the year, the shop operates at a loss.

The couple appeared on the show at the wife's request. She revealed, "The day we got married, my husband's behavior was terrifying." They recalled a day of conflict, with the wife describing feelings of fear and anxiety. "I was shaking, my heart felt tight, and I couldn't breathe," she said. The husband countered, "It's absurd. Why keep finding problems? Can't we just live with it?"

The wife expressed her struggle with her husband's blunt communication style, saying, "Sometimes you need to speak indirectly, but he just says whatever comes to mind. It leaves me feeling suffocated." The husband responded, "It doesn't matter what my intention is; once she starts talking, she doesn't listen to me. I hold it in until I explode."

The husband also expressed dissatisfaction with his father-in-law, saying, "He's just like him." The wife remarked, "It feels like one of us has to die for this to end."

Recently, a conversation about the wife's shop income and the husband's salary escalated into a heated argument. The husband was angered by the wife's informal language, leading to a confrontation. The wife, who has been diagnosed with depression, is now afraid to even look at her husband's face. The husband, on the other hand, feels misunderstood, saying, "It was just a clash during an argument, but she's making me out to be a bad person."

The husband has already handed the wife a divorce agreement, but the couple is trying to address their issues and find solutions.

Oh Eun-young advised, "If the concepts of sincerity and consideration aren't established, this problem will persist. It's not about being insincere or flattering, but about changing expressions to avoid hurting the other person." Regarding the husband's attitude when receiving money from his father-in-law, Oh Eun-young noted, "It's not about whether you use one hand or two, or whether you're sitting or standing. It's about the lack of gratitude, which can lead to misunderstandings." She emphasized the importance of distinguishing between honesty and rudeness.

After the recording, the wife apologized to her husband, saying, "I realized I think a lot in my head but don't express it verbally." The husband called his father-in-law to apologize. The couple felt that seeking counseling was a good decision and have since started couples therapy.

Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr