Lee Min-woo shared his love story with his fiancée through 'Salim Nam', which has achieved the top spot in Saturday entertainment for 11 consecutive weeks.
In the episode of KBS 2TV's 'Salim Nam Season 2' aired on the 9th, Lee Min-woo, who shared his love story and surprising marriage news, celebrated the 12th anniversary of Park Seo-jin's debut.
The viewership rating recorded 6.7% according to Nielsen Korea's nationwide survey, with a peak rating of 7.9% during a scene where Lee Min-woo expressed his worries about marriage due to financial issues, stating he needed to work hard to earn money.
Lee Min-woo recalled meeting his fiancée, a third-generation Korean resident in Japan, for the first time at a gathering of acquaintances after finishing his tour in Japan in 2013.
He surprised everyone by announcing, "I am not alone. There is a baby in my fiancée's belly," explaining that the baby is nicknamed 'Yang-yang' because it was conceived during a trip to Yangyang.
He also mentioned that they became a couple after reuniting for the first time since their last meeting in 2018, revealing that his fiancée is a single mother raising a 6-year-old daughter after her divorce. The broadcast showed Lee Min-woo spending time with his fiancée and her daughter, who resembled model Yano Shiho and actress Lee Min-jung, capturing attention with her beauty.
The feelings of Lee Min-woo's parents upon hearing the marriage news were also shared. His father expressed, "When I first heard, they said she was 6 weeks pregnant. I was puzzled when I heard she was divorced and had a child. It felt a bit bittersweet. But what can we do? If it's fate, we can't help it," cautiously revealing his surprise and confusion.
His mother confessed, "I didn't tell anyone around me. (I was worried) so I couldn't speak up," admitting it was difficult to share the complicated situation. She continued, "As a parent, I have concerns," conveying her mixed feelings that made it hard to fully celebrate the marriage.
After watching the video, Eun Ji-won and Kim Won-hee commented, "The parents have been longing for Lee Min-woo's marriage more than anyone," and empathized, "It's really fortunate that he found someone he loves, but anyone would be somewhat taken aback upon hearing that the person he is marrying is a divorcee with a child."
To lighten the heavy atmosphere at home, Lee Min-woo prepared food and checked on his parents' feelings. Knowing that Lee Min-woo had suffered economically and mentally for a long time due to a 2.6 billion won fraud case and lack of fixed income, his parents couldn't help but worry about the marriage news. However, they tried to accept the reality as much as possible.
During the meal, Lee Min-woo cautiously brought up the topic of living together. Currently, the family situation is that Lee Min-woo uses the master bedroom, his sister has the small room, and his parents use the living room. He said, "I want to live here with my girlfriend and daughter," to which his parents were surprised, asking how seven people could live together in such a small space. His mother even suggested, "If that's the case, we can go live in our countryside house in Namwon. Young people these days don't want to live together."
However, Lee Min-woo insisted, "Let's organize the countryside house in Namwon and live together," not backing down on the idea of cohabitation. He shared his reasons for wanting to live with his parents despite the difficult reality. He was concerned about his parents' health, especially since his mother had experienced dementia and depression, forgetting the front door password and being unable to enter the house.
He also mentioned that he currently does not have the financial means to be independent, revealing that he was deeply troubled by the high walls of reality he faced before marriage. He expressed that he had many concerns, from housing issues to future education, due to the lack of a fixed income. While preparing for a happy beginning, he felt the weight of reality on his shoulders.
On the other hand, his parents worried that living with in-laws and a sister-in-law might not be easy for his fiancée. In response, Lee Min-woo said, "If my fiancée is okay with my parents and if her daughter understands, I want to live together," adding, "I think it's right to have the baby in Korea for the sake of my parents. If the family allows it, I want us all to live together." His parents felt grateful and touched by the sincerity of their future daughter-in-law, who decided to leave Japan, where she had lived her whole life, to live with Min-woo's family.
After finishing the meal with his parents, Lee Min-woo stepped outside and video-called his 11-year-younger fiancée. Everyone was surprised by her appearance on the screen. When his fiancée asked about the conversation with his parents, Lee Min-woo replied, "They said many good things," and asked if she was not afraid of coming to Korea. His fiancée confidently responded, "It's okay. If my parents are okay, we are very happy," and the two confirmed their affectionate feelings for each other.
