Tragic Past of Trot Singer Ko Jeong-woo Revealed on 'Oh Eun-young Stay'

The heartbreaking past of 'Grandson of the Sea,' trot singer Ko Jeong-woo, was unveiled, evoking sympathy from viewers.

On the October 28th episode of MBN's 'Oh Eun-young Stay,' the story of trot singer Ko Jeong-woo was featured.

During the broadcast, Ko Jeong-woo expressed his deep affection for his grandmother, stating, "My grandmother is my only family. She was my friend, mother, wife, and everything in the world to me." He revealed, "Due to my parents' divorce, I was raised by my grandmother from the age of two. I don't remember my biological mother's face, but I remember being abandoned in front of my grandmother's house."

Ko Jeong-woo further shared, "I learned about our family's financial troubles when my uncle's failed guarantee led to the loss of our home, leaving my grandmother and me without a place to live. There was an abandoned house in the neighborhood, infested with rats and centipedes, but with nowhere else to go, my grandmother pleaded to live there."

Despite these hardships, Ko Jeong-woo recalled, "Those were happy times living with my grandmother. However, she was severely injured and paralyzed from the waist down after being hit by a dump truck driving in the wrong direction while on her way to a health center." He continued, "I was in second grade at the time and had to start working to support us. By fifth grade, I was learning to dive, waking up at 4 AM to work in the fields and diving after school, while other kids watched TV and played. I wondered why my life was so different."

Ko Jeong-woo also recounted, "Even in this situation, my father would come home drunk, causing trouble and taking money from us. He took my grandmother's money and the money I earned from diving, which led to depression." He added, "In my sophomore year of high school, I decided to end my life after taking antidepressants. It was summer, and a typhoon hit. I jumped into the raging waves, determined to die, but the waves saved me."

Ko Jeong-woo continued, "My grandmother cried uncontrollably when she saw me in the hospital, and it was then that I decided to live." He tearfully shared, "However, around my high school graduation, my grandmother caught a cold and passed away within three days. I was by her side until the end, and her last words were, 'Let me hug you one more time.'"

Actress Ko So-young, moved to tears, commented, "At nine years old, in second grade, you should only be receiving parental love, but you had to enter the workforce. You probably never had time to reflect on yourself due to the responsibility of caring for your grandmother. I hope you now take time to receive comfort and express your emotions. You should commend yourself for enduring such hardships and emerging strong."

Reporter Chaeryeong Lim, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr