Next to her, singers Kim Jaejoong (38) and IU (31) have also revealed their challenging upbringings. Here is a glimpse into their vastly contrasting pasts, in contrast to their current glamorous lifestyles.
During the June 16th episode of JTBC’s “Come travel with me, Mom?”, Lee Hyori, accompanied by her mother, visited Geoje Island.
During their trip, Lee Hyori’s mother posed a thought-provoking question, asking her daughter if she would choose to be born as her again if given the chance. She then expressed gratitude for having Lee Hyori as her daughter, but also acknowledged that she may not wish for the same in her next life due to their family’s financial struggles. She lamented, speculating that Lee Hyori may desire to be born into a wealthy family and lead a life of comfort in her next incarnation.
Upon hearing this, Lee Hyori expressed, “I believe that our struggles have shaped me into the person I am now, living a fulfilling life. If I could be reborn as your daughter, I would choose to live in a different setting where we can fully enjoy life together, rather than just trying to survive.”
Lee Hyori’s family’s financial struggle was brought to light before. During a broadcast on June 10th, her mother discussed their past hardships of having to collect discarded coal briquettes to make ends meet. It was also public knowledge that after Lee Hyori achieved success, she generously gifted her parents a building worth 1 billion won as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation.
Last month, Kim Jaejoong, a singer, made an appearance on KBS2’s “Convenience Store Restaurant”and revealed that during his school years, he had to substitute school lunches with cup noodles due to his family’s financial struggles.
As the youngest of nine siblings, Kim Jaejoong was born into a large family that faced financial struggles. Despite having so many siblings, the family was not well-off and it was a challenge for their parents to provide for all nine children. As a result, they were unable to afford basic necessities such as school supplies and textbooks.
When he was in middle school, he remembered that school lunches became optional. Due to his family’s financial situation, he would bring a cup noodle to school and share side dishes with his friends who brought their own lunch boxes.
Following his triumph, Kim Jaejoong generously presented his parents with a house that included both an elevator and a sauna, much to the surprise of many.
Despite being a successful singer, IU had a difficult childhood. During an appearance on KBS2’s “Win Win”in 2011, she shared that her family’s financial struggles forced them to live in a single room.
Despite growing up comfortably, IU’s family was faced with a difficult situation when her mother made the mistake of guaranteeing a debt. This resulted in them becoming homeless and scattered. In order to make ends meet, IU and her family had to live in a single room with her grandmother, cousin, and younger brother. They struggled with lack of food and had to endure the presence of numerous cockroaches in their cold house. IU even joked that she became skilled at catching and killing them with her bare hands.
Following her debut, IU gained recognition for her chart-topping singles such as “Good Day”, “Palette”, and “Eight”, solidifying her status as a “national singer”. Along with her successful music career, she has also been praised for her devotion to her family, often treating her parents to trips abroad and even purchasing a foreign car for her father.
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