BBC "Jung Woo-sung's extramarital scandal sparks national debate"

Actor Jung Woo-sung, ⓒ A.C. Maker MovieWorks

The BBC, a British public broadcaster, reported that "the scandal of a Korean star's extramarital affairs is causing a national controversy" regarding the controversy over actor Jung Woo-sung's extramarital affairs.

On the 27th, the BBC reported that actor Jung Woo-sung and Mun Ga-bi gave birth without marriage, explaining that the incident sparked a debate over celebrity behavior and non-traditional family structure.

Regarding the situation, the BBC said, "There is a strong backlash in a conservative country that considers extramarital childbirth a taboo, but there is also a position to defend Jung Woo-sung in that the family structure in Korea has changed in various ways."

The BBC then introduced various online reactions and comments from domestic politicians.

First, the BBC said, "The reaction to Jung Woo-sung, who made his name widely known in Korea due to his rich film career, was generally critical," adding that many expressed disappointment over his 10-year career as an honorary ambassador to the U.N. Refugee Agency from 2014. He also introduced an online comment saying, "Jung Woo-sung is pretending to be nice, saying he will fulfill all his duties, but a child does not grow up on money alone."

In addition, a ruling party lawmaker said, "It is unimaginable in our society," and added, "No matter how times change, Korean traditions and public sentiment must be preserved."

On the other hand, he said that Korean society is accepting various types of families, breaking away from traditional ideas, and that social perception is changing. The BBC explained that in a 2024 social survey conducted by Statistics Korea, 37% of respondents said they accept out-of-wedlock births, a 15% increase since 2012. He also added that younger respondents had fewer opinions that marriage was necessary.

He also introduced remarks by Lee So-young of the Democratic Party of Korea, who defended Jung Woo-sung. Earlier, Rep. Lee posted on his SNS, "Deciding to live with someone is a personal and existential choice," adding, "It's suffocating for some reason to have to marry regardless of the relationship and live as a couple with the obligation to live together and support."

The BBC concluded the article by saying, "Korea is notorious for its heavy-handed entertainment industry," conveying the Korean atmosphere that celebrities are often subject to too high social standards.

Jung Woo-sung announced the news of extramarital affairs with model Moon Ga-bi on the 24th. Jung Woo-sung said, "We are discussing how to raise our child in the best direction, and as a father, we will do our best for our child."