Song Joong Ki remarried in 2023 to former British actress Katy Louise Saunders. However, their marriage has repeatedly been surrounded by rumors of trouble this year, drawing considerable attention to the couple’s every move. Recently, the actor’s attitude toward his Western wife once again sparked controversy among Chinese netizens.
Chinese social media users have reportedly resurfaced an old moment when Song Joong Ki mentioned his wife on a television program. At the time, when the host asked which Korean dishes Katy Louise Saunders was good at cooking, the actor happily replied, “She is really good at it.” He then jokingly asked himself, “Do I look like a husband who’s completely smitten with his wife?”
However, the way Song Joong Ki referred to his wife in the old clip has drawn mixed reactions after it went viral again. In Korean, people typically use expressions equivalent to “my wife” or “my spouse” when referring to their partners. Therefore, some viewers criticized his use of a more distant expression equivalent to “that person” or “she,” describing it as cold, rude, and lacking respect or appreciation for Katy Louise Saunders.
“Words matter. The way he refers to her sounds belittling and disrespectful,” one Chinese netizen commented. Others wrote, “I’ve seen many couples from different countries, but this is the first time I’ve heard a married man refer to his own wife as ‘that person.’” Another criticized the Reborn Rich star, saying, “Song Joong Ki doesn’t seem to value his wife at all. He is so disrespectful toward Katy.”
In addition, many people revisited a story about Song Joong Ki’s wife reportedly preparing meals for his manager when she was close to giving birth. According to the actor’s manager, Song Joong Ki frequently invited him over to their home while Katy was pregnant. Even when she was in the final stages of pregnancy and approaching her due date, she reportedly went into the kitchen to prepare tomato tuna pasta and salad for her husband’s manager. Song Joong Ki also regularly reminded the manager to limit takeaway food and maintain a healthy diet.
On Weibo, many users argued that Katy Louise Saunders had a difficult time being married to a man who appeared to prioritize taking care of outsiders, such as his manager. Some felt that expecting a woman in the final stages of pregnancy to prepare meals for her husband’s manager was unreasonable and exhausting.
However, alongside the criticism, many viewers came to Song Joong Ki’s defense, arguing that netizens were being overly judgmental and intrusive about the actor’s private life and choice of words. They pointed out that a few seconds of conversation on camera, or accounts shared by third parties, were insufficient to determine how the actor actually treated his wife. In their view, such details should not be used as proof that he disrespects his partner.
In fact, this is not the first time Song Joong Ki has faced scrutiny over allegations that he behaves poorly, disrespectfully, or even in a patriarchal manner toward his wife. In 2023, during an interview with Chinese outlet Sina, the actor openly suggested that entertainers could lose their jobs after getting married. “In the entertainment industry, being a husband and a father means you lose your job,” the Descendants of the Sun star emphasized.
His remarks left many people frustrated. South Korean netizens criticized what they considered a narrow-minded perspective. After all, Song Joong Ki continued to star in films and appear in advertisements after getting married and having children, with no apparent negative impact on his career. Some also pointed out that numerous male actors had maintained their popularity and even reached new career heights after marriage, with Hyun Bin being a notable example.
Moreover, Song Joong Ki made the controversial comment shortly after his wife had given birth to their first child. As a result, some considered his answer particularly insensitive toward Katy, who had endured the physical challenges of pregnancy and childbirth, only for her husband’s remarks to suggest that becoming a husband and father meant losing professional opportunities.
Song Joong Ki went public with his relationship with former British actress Katy Louise Saunders in December 2022. Not long afterward, the actor surprised fans by announcing their marriage. In June 2023, the couple shared another piece of happy news when Song Joong Ki announced that their first child, a son, had been born safely in Rome. In November 2024, the couple welcomed their second child, a daughter.
Sources: kenh14