Kim Min-hee's Pregnancy Sparks Controversy in Korean Entertainment

The past week in the Korean entertainment industry has been dominated by scandal and controversy, particularly surrounding actress Kim Min-hee's pregnancy. According to a recent report by Dispatch, Kim Min-hee is currently six months pregnant and is expected to give birth this spring. The report claims that she conceived naturally with director Hong Sang-soo, and the couple learned of the pregnancy last summer. At 64 years old, Hong Sang-soo is significantly older than 42-year-old Kim Min-hee. Due to the lack of rebuttals from the parties involved, the pregnancy rumors are widely accepted as true.

Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo reportedly fell in love while working together on the film 지금은 맞고 그때는 틀리다 (Right Now, Wrong Then). Hong Sang-soo has been attempting to finalize his divorce from his wife of 30 years, who has not accepted any divorce papers sent to her. This situation has led to a public acknowledgment of their affair.

OSEN has confirmed that the couple uses the affectionate term '여보' (honey) when addressing each other. A witness reported seeing them shopping together in a supermarket in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, where Kim Min-hee was heard asking, '여보, what do you think about this?' indicating a casual and intimate dynamic.

As the story unfolds, various accounts and rumors have emerged. A YouTuber claimed that Hong Sang-soo is very protective of his daughter but did not attend her wedding two to three years ago, nor did he contribute a wedding gift. Friends of the family reportedly questioned his absence, but his wife dismissed their concerns, stating, 'That's just how he is.' Additionally, it was noted that claims about Hong Sang-soo inheriting 1.2 trillion won from his mother are false, and that his daughter's education expenses were covered by her maternal grandparents.

Reports also surfaced suggesting that Hong Sang-soo's wife was completely unaware of Kim Min-hee's pregnancy. This revelation has reignited discussions about past communications between Hong Sang-soo's wife and Kim Min-hee's mother, which were reconstructed in a magazine article from July 2016. The messages included pleas for support and expressions of pain regarding the affair.

However, another outlet reported that the Hong Sang-soo family has distanced itself from these claims, stating that the information was released without the wife's consent and contains inaccuracies. The authenticity of the conversations remains unclear.

In a separate controversy, actress Jang Shin-young has returned to television on KBS 2TV's 신상출시 편스토랑 (New Menu Launch Restaurant) following her husband Kang Kyung-jun's infidelity scandal. This has sparked debate among netizens, especially since Jang Shin-young's children were previously removed from the show 슈퍼맨이 돌아왔다 (The Return of Superman).

During the episode aired on January 24, a preview for the upcoming January 31 episode featured Jang Shin-young and her second son, Jeong-woo. The clip showed her affectionately embracing and kissing her son, while the production team highlighted the love-filled atmosphere of their family. Jang Shin-young expressed that she cooks for her children and family, and the preview hinted at a more emotional story, raising questions about her husband.

Despite her return to the screen, viewers criticized the couple for exposing their children again so soon after their previous removal from the show. Just six months have passed since the children were taken off the air, and now they are back on KBS.

Previously, Kang Kyung-jun was accused of infidelity in December 2023, leading to a 50 million won lawsuit for damages. The plaintiff alleged that he had an affair with their wife, A, while Kang Kyung-jun denied the allegations but accepted the claims to avoid a lengthy legal battle. This has led to speculation that he may have implicitly acknowledged the affair.

After the lawsuit concluded, Jang Shin-young shared on social media that she and her husband had many discussions, expressing regret and a desire to maintain their family for the sake of their children. She also requested that excessive criticism towards her husband be tempered, expressing concern for their children's well-being.