Korean Actor Jung Il-mo Opens Up About Estrangement from Son and Past Marriages

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Korean actor Jung Il-mo, known for his role as Hong Man-gil in the drama 'Rustic Period,' has shared the heart-wrenching story of his estrangement from his 15-year-old son.

Jung Il-mo (77), who transitioned from a life as a gang member to acting, revealed his painful family history on the YouTube channel 'Exclusive World - The People of That Time' on October 18. During the episode, he was seen visiting a temple, shedding tears of repentance as he performed 108 prostrations.

Jung, who has been praying daily for six years, cited his separated son as the reason for his devotion. He shared, "I have been praying for six years because of my son, whom I parted ways with long ago. It is a deeply painful matter of the heart."

Jung also opened up about his past, revealing that he has been divorced three times. "I have a daughter from my first marriage and a son from my second," he explained. "My ex-wives wanted me to settle down with a stable job and live a family-oriented life, but for me, it was just a dream. I was told multiple times that if I didn't change, we couldn't live together, and eventually, we parted ways."

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Currently, Jung is remarried to a woman 30 years his junior, and they have been together for four years. "There is a 30-year age difference. We've known each other for about 12 years and have lived together for four," he stated.

Despite finding peace at the age of 77, Jung's longing for his son remains strong. His son, who was 15 at the time of Jung's separation from his second wife, cut off contact, harboring resentment towards his father.

Jung reflected, "I think my children felt, 'Why did you abandon mom?' Negative feelings about their father seem to have been etched in their hearts," he said, bowing his head in regret. It was a belated realization of the pain his son must have felt as a 15-year-old.

Having left behind his life as a gang member, Jung began his acting career with the film 'New Paldosanae.' Today, he continues to perform 108 prostrations daily, seeking forgiveness from his son.

Jung Il-mo made his debut in the 1991 film 'Paldosanae 91' and has appeared in works such as 'Tears of the Dragon' (1996), 'Horse Doctor' (2012), and 'Three Days' (2014). He gained recognition for his role as Hong Man-gil, a subordinate of Kim Du-han, in 'Rustic Period.'

Reporter Na-yeon Jo, TenAsia nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr