Lee Hye-young Reveals Pressure Behind Past Divorce Press Conference
Speaking on her YouTube channel video titled Spicy Chat with My True Friend Kim Jeong-eun, Who Knows Me Better Than I Do, Lee detailed how industry expectations during that era forced stars into public spectacles following personal splits.
The Televised Divorce Press Conference
Returning to Female Warriors Six Amid Pressure
The disclosure sheds light on the heavy administrative and public relations burdens placed on prominent entertainers navigating marital breakdowns in the mid-2000s. According to OSEN, Lee Hye-young recalled returning to the variety show Female Warriors Six after her divorce from Roo’Ra member Lee Sang-min, whom she married in 2004 and divorced the following year. Confronted by the station’s variety division head, she was told she needed to cross that mountain once and apologize while everyone was gathered.
An Overwhelming Media Crush of 400 Reporters
Lee admitted she severely underestimated the public and media appetite for the spectacle at the time. Approximately 300 to 400 reporters swarmed the venue, creating an overwhelming media crush. Reflecting on the systemic pressures of the period, Lee explained that broadcasts were viewed as a strict promise to the public to deliver happiness, leading her to comply with the directive under the assumption that a public apology was simply how television networks operated.
Kim Jeong-eun Recalls a Breakup
The conversation also drew in fellow actor Kim Jeong-eun, who reflected on her own breakup with Lee Seo-jin and the tears she shed on a broadcast years prior. Kim noted that she initially wanted to avoid mentioning the split entirely to prevent leaving a permanent media footprint, but felt cornered by the throngs of journalists waiting outside. Lee Hye-young empathized with Kim’s position, pointing out that failing to make an official statement during that broadcasting era routinely invited severe professional and public repercussions.
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