Trot Singer Kang Seol-min Reunites with Mother After 40 Years

On January 23, 2025, MBN's program 특종세상 (Exclusive World) featured the emotional reunion of trot singer 강설민 (Kang Seol-min) with her mother, whom she had not seen since the age of eight. During the episode, Kang Seol-min visited her hometown of 익산 (Iksan) and met her father, a taxi driver with 40 years of experience. She shared, "I actually have no memories of my mother. As I grew older, I started to miss her."

Kang Seol-min explained that the trauma from her childhood made it difficult for her to remember. Her father struggled with alcoholism after marriage, and her mother left the family, abandoning her three children. Reflecting on her childhood, Kang Seol-min said, "It was incredibly tough. I had to endure a lot on my own, wandering outside during winter." She revealed that her desire to become a singer was partly motivated by her wish to find her mother.

When they finally met, Kang Seol-min expressed her feelings candidly, stating, "I was so young when we separated that I don’t remember much. I have no recollection of my mother’s face or voice. I often wondered if she even existed. I was very angry too."

Her mother, in tears, explained, "I felt like I was going to die, which is why I left. Just think about how desperate I must have been to leave my children behind." Kang Seol-min responded, "I can feel that you lived a life much harder than I imagined."