Lee Dong-gun Remembers Late Brother During Family Trip on 'My Little Old Boy'

On the February 2 episode of SBS's variety show My Little Old Boy (미운 우리 새끼), actor Lee Dong-gun and his parents took a heartfelt family trip to reminisce about his younger brother, who passed away 17 years ago.

Lee Dong-gun shared that they chose to visit Hongcheon, stating, "This is the only travel destination we went to with my brother Jun-yeop." His father recalled, "At that time, Jun-yeop was studying abroad in Australia and came home for vacation to join us." Lee Dong-gun expressed, "I think of Jun-yeop during the holidays," while his mother mentioned, "I visited Jun-yeop just the other day."

During their dinner after the trip, Lee Dong-gun presented a framed photo, saying, "This isn't just a gift; it's a gift for me too." His mother curiously asked, "Who is this? Is it my son?" while his father remarked, "Why does this face look so unfamiliar?" Lee Dong-gun explained that the photo was an AI-generated image of his brother as he would look at 37, had he lived past the age of 20. He also shared a family photo, prompting his parents to gaze at it silently.

Reflecting on memories, Lee Dong-gun recalled, "Jun-yeop hated taking pictures. He had straight hair that was hard to manage, and I remember giving him perms to style it." His mother added, "He admired his older brother and said he would grow just 1 cm shorter than you."

Lee Dong-gun's father, who listened quietly, expressed regret over his strict parenting, saying, "I think Jun-yeop really disliked me because I was so hard on him. He distanced himself during the age when he should have been studying, preferring to play games instead. I even broke a few computers out of frustration."

He continued, "As the eldest son, I hoped you would pursue your dreams in entertainment, while I wished Jun-yeop would focus solely on his studies. Looking back, I sometimes think I should have let him play games instead of being so strict."

Lee Dong-gun's father revealed, "For ten years after losing him, I couldn't forget him. I lived with immense guilt, feeling responsible for his passing. After about ten years, I realized I was still holding onto him, and I thought it was time to let go."

Lee Dong-gun's mother added, "When we first went to the site, he was filled with self-blame, thinking that if he hadn't sent him abroad, this wouldn't have happened."

The family is preparing to move from their home filled with memories after 30 years. Lee Dong-gun's father stated, "I had been thinking about leaving for a long time, but I waited because my wife didn't want to."

However, his mother expressed her anxiety about the move, saying, "When I heard we were selling the house, my heart sank. Since losing Jun-yeop, my memory has faded significantly. Now that I'm older, I find it even harder to remember things. I didn't even recall anything about Hongcheon at first."

She added, "Thinking about moving makes my heart race. I told Jun-yeop, 'We're moving. I hope you can find us.'"

Lee Dong-gun's brother, who was eight years younger, tragically passed away in 2008 while studying in Australia due to an unforeseen accident.