K-pop singer Seo In Young, a former member of the legendary girl group Jewelry, has once again found herself at the center of public attention, this time for opening up about the emotional pain surrounding her short-lived first marriage and her impending remarriage.
Three years ago, Seo made headlines across Asia after her ex-husband, a tech entrepreneur, reportedly filed for divorce just seven months after their wedding. The shocking separation became one of the darkest chapters in the singer’s personal life.
Now, Seo In Young has surprised fans by announcing plans to remarry wealthy businessman Choi Ji Hoon, CEO of content company NP. While many congratulated the singer, others reacted with skepticism, with some online users speculating that her second marriage could also end in divorce.
In response to the criticism, Seo appeared on her personal YouTube channel on June 10 and directly addressed the concerns, seemingly even taking subtle jabs at her ex-husband.
“People keep worrying that I might get divorced again, but honestly, I don’t know what the future holds either,” he said. “What I can say is that I always do my best and remain sincere. My previous divorce did not happen because I cheated. I will continue to work hard and communicate with fans online. Nothing will change. Also, we will not get married because of the pregnancy and I am not thinking about children yet. This is something for later. Right now I am happy with my work and my life.”
Seo had previously hinted that infidelity or a change in attitude on the part of her ex-spouse could have contributed to the collapse of her first marriage.
In the same video, Seo openly praised her boyfriend, describing him as completely different from her ex-husband and highlighting how responsible he is.
“He has never been married before and is incredibly dedicated to his work,” Seo shared. “People always say, ‘Of course anyone would want to marry a rich man,’ but these days I appreciate someone who works hard and is responsible more. I used to spend recklessly, but I honestly made more money than many men. When I asked my now husband, ‘Can you really handle someone like me?’ he simply replied, “Of course I can.”
She added that unlike people she has met in the past, her current partner has never questioned her finances.
“In the past there were people who took advantage of the fact that I made good money. But my now husband is a person who feels personally responsible to take care of me. I was sad when his name and company details became public, but he told me that as long as it was for me, everything was fine. This is the first time I have met someone so good.”
Towards the end of the video, Seo became emotional as she reflected on how difficult life had been after her divorce. She admitted that she struggled deeply and even turned to alcohol before meeting her current partner.
“If it weren’t for my now husband, I would never have considered marriage again” he confessed. “I had almost completely given up on the idea. After the divorce I suffered from severe depression and was drinking almost every day. Then someone introduced me to him on a blind date. At first I thought about refusing because I wasn’t mentally stable. But the date had already been set.”
She remembered that she finally invited him to meet her and her friends the night before the scheduled date.
“I was attracted by the confidence with which he presented himself,” SEO revealed.
Before meeting her current fiancé, Seo In Young married a tech entrepreneur in February 2023. However, in September of the same year – just seven months later – she sparked speculation after she deleted all wedding-related posts from social media, including wedding photos and announcements.
Shortly after, reports surfaced that her husband had started divorce proceedings, leaving Seo shocked and devastated. Early media reports suggested that the breakdown of the marriage was largely due to issues on Seo’s part.
However, earlier this year, the singer appeared to insinuate that her ex-husband may have been the real cause of the relationship’s breakdown. During a YouTube appearance on March 26, the former Jewelry member made cryptic comments that many interpreted as criticism of her ex.
“Never believe that the way someone treats you at first will last forever.” he said at the time. “People can change at any time. But if they change too quickly, you don’t even have time to prepare yourself emotionally. That’s just my personal opinion.”
Seo also revealed that some people around her had apparently sensed problems in her marriage from the beginning.
“Many people told me later that even during the marriage they already thought we would eventually get divorced,” he said. “When I announced the divorce, some even told me, ‘Only In Young didn’t know. Everyone at the wedding already saw it coming.'”
These comments led some viewers to speculate that there may have been visible red flags in her ex-husband’s behavior during the marriage itself.
Born in 1984, Seo In Young debuted in the entertainment industry at the age of 18 as a member of the iconic K-pop group Jewelry. In 2009 he left the group to focus on his solo career, releasing several hit songs. Apart from music, she has also ventured into acting and gained popularity through successful variety shows such as We got married AND Real Men.
Sources: K14
