Actress Hwang Jung Eum has left the public bewildered after unexpectedly expressing gratitude toward her ex-husband despite previously accusing him of cheating during their highly publicized divorce.
On May 27, Hwang Jung Eum appeared on her personal YouTube channel and made surprising comments about her former husband, steel industry businessman Lee Young Don.
In the video, the actress gave viewers a tour of every corner of her new home. In front of the camera, the “She Was Pretty” star openly showed off furniture she had purchased during her marriage, including a chair in the living room, a dining table, and a large television placed in her bedroom.
While talking about the items, Hwang Jung Eum unexpectedly showered her ex-husband with thanks, saying, “When we divorced, I gathered all of my belongings before leaving my ex-husband’s house. He even opened the doors wide and told me to come take all my things. Doesn’t that deserve a thank you?”
Her latest remarks quickly surprised Korean netizens because the actress had previously harshly criticized her ex-husband after their divorce. At the time, she openly hinted at his alleged infidelity and even made sarcastic comments about him on television.
Back in February 2024, Hwang Jung Eum suddenly announced her divorce from Lee Young Don after eight years of marriage. Korean media later revealed alleged details behind the breakup. According to reports from The Fact, an acquaintance close to the actress claimed that Lee Young Don had made a serious mistake that ultimately destroyed their marriage.
Not long afterward, media outlet Koreaboo further analyzed Hwang Jung Eum’s social media posts and raised suspicions that the actress was indirectly exposing her husband’s alleged affair.
In one post, Hwang Jung Eum publicly uploaded a photo of Lee Young Don looking visibly excited while receiving chocolates from a woman rumored to be his alleged mistress. She also added captions and comments seemingly suggesting that her husband was enjoying himself with another woman behind her back.
The actress wrote comments such as, “My husband has been busy enjoying life after marriage. He’s still very busy now. Please continue enjoying yourself comfortably,” and “My husband has continuously been busy ever since we got married.”
On social media, Hwang Jung Eum also posted a cryptic message that many interpreted as another jab at her husband’s alleged affairs. She wrote, “He’s the type of person who has trouble remembering faces. If I remember correctly, I think he’s met around 400 people already.”
Not long after, while interacting with a netizen online, the actress indirectly acknowledged that her husband had cheated on and betrayed her.
Just one month after the divorce announcement, Hwang Jung Eum appeared on SNL Korea and seemingly mocked her ex-husband’s infidelity with a shocking statement: “I think I’m good at choosing scripts, but not very good at choosing men.”
Hwang Jung Eum and Lee Young Don’s marriage has long attracted public attention. The couple officially tied the knot in 2016. In September 2020, they unexpectedly announced plans to divorce but later reconciled in 2021. During their marriage, the couple welcomed two sons together.
Rumors surrounding their troubled marriage had already surfaced in October 2023 when Hwang Jung Eum appeared on My Little Old Boy and candidly shared, “I no longer find my husband handsome like before, and I don’t feel excited around him anymore. Marriage is the biggest regret of my life. Even my husband has changed. Young Don used to say I looked like a doll, but now he calls me a ‘monster-faced doll.’”
Only a few months later, the couple officially confirmed their separation, bringing one of K-entertainment’s most talked-about marriages to an end.
Sources: kenh14