Phill News Entertainment – Phill News
SEOUL, South Korea — One of South Korea’s most famous actors has apologized after it was revealed he fathered a child with a woman he is not married to. This sparked nationwide criticism in a country where giving birth outside of marriage remains taboo.
Jung Woo-sung, an A-list celebrity in South Korea’s competitive film industry since his debut in the 1990s, made headlines this week when his agency confirmed that the 51-year-old actor is the biological father of model Moon Ga-bi, born in March.
days ago, Moon, 35, announced that she had recently become a mother but did not reveal the child’s father’s identity. Local news reported that the model wanted to marry Jung to “give my child a family,” a claim the actor denied.
Jung vowed to “fulfill his responsibilities as a father,” but remained silent about his plans to marry Moon, sparking a strong backlash. In a society where deep-rooted prejudice against unmarried mothers and their children persists, many called him “irresponsible.”
“I am truly sorry for causing concern and disappointment to all those who have shown me love and faith in me,” Chung said late Friday as he took to the stage to host the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
“I accept and bear all criticism. As a father, I will fulfill my responsibility to my son to the end.”
Chung has long cultivated a scandal-free image and served as a special ambassador for the United Nations Refugee Agency for nearly a decade until July.
Critics this week compared the baby’s situation to that of refugees, highlighting the prejudice faced by children of unmarried mothers.
“He talked so much about (accepting) refugees, yet he made his son a refugee,” said a commenter on the news website.
Lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party voiced support for accepting different family forms in Korean society.
“The reality is that each person is unique,” said lawmaker Lee So-yeon, adding that her parents divorced when she was young.
“A society that respects these differences will surely be better, right?”
Last year, only 4.7 percent of babies were born outside marriage in South Korea, one of the lowest rates among 38 developed countries. The average is about 40 percent.
South Korea suffers from one of the world’s lowest birth rates and a falling marriage rate.
Experts say a narrow legal definition of family may be a factor.
They point out that courts extremely rarely approve adoptions by unmarried people, the use of sperm donations for unmarried women is effectively banned, and same-sex marriage is not legally recognized.
