Baek Ji-young and Jung Suk-won Clash Over Their Daughter’s Education at an International School With 30 Million Won Tuition: "She’s in Third Grade, and I Feel Sorry for Her"

[Sportschosun Reporter Jo Yoon-sun] Singer Baek Ji-young revealed that she and her husband, Jung Suk-won, have different views on their daughter Ha-im’s education.

On the 4th, a video titled "Baek Ji-young’s Life-Changing Pho Restaurant, Revealed for the First Time as Her Family Takes a One-Night, Two-Day Trip to Visit a Local Restaurant in Vietnam (Earthenware Bowl)" was uploaded to Baek Ji-young’s YouTube channel.

In the video, Baek Ji-young and Jung Suk-won encouraged their daughter Ha-im to place an additional order in English at a local restaurant in Vietnam. Ha-im, however, lacked confidence, and Jung Suk-won encouraged her, saying, "You’re the best at English among us. Do you know why Mom sends you to international school? It’s so you can come to places like this and order in English."

After summoning up her courage and finishing the order, Ha-im said, "I got one wrong," expressing disappointment. Baek Ji-young then reassured her, saying, "It’s okay to make mistakes. What matters is speaking. That’s why Mom and Dad say you’re amazing."

Jung Suk-won also mentioned that he had recently met with the school counselor. He said, "I told the teacher, 'Please reduce the homework a little. I hope Ha-im doesn’t have to study too much. Please create an environment where she can be happy and run around freely,' and the teacher looked surprised." He added, "She’s only in third grade, and I feel so sorry for her. She has school homework, and she also takes private lessons. They even assign homework there too."

Baek Ji-young, however, complained, "She doesn’t do any homework at all," adding, "I have to sit her down and make her do it."

Jung Suk-won, who had been taking their daughter’s side, then revealed, "When Ha-im was just born, Mom and I said, 'We didn’t study, so let’s not force her to either,' but now she’s being pushed so hard."

Baek Ji-young explained her parenting philosophy, saying, "I only make Ha-im do what she wants to do, except for swimming. She takes swimming, dance, beatboxing, inline skating, math, art, and English, but the only academic subjects are math and English. If she spends just 30 minutes on homework, she can finish everything."

Ha-im then said, "Thirty minutes is too long," and after hearing that, Jung Suk-won immediately switched sides, saying, "Ha-im was too harsh. It wasn’t my wife who was being too strict."

Baek Ji-young said, "We are parents. We can’t say, 'We couldn’t do it, so you don’t have to either.' We may not have done it ourselves, but looking back, it was important. So we have to tell her what matters to her."

Meanwhile, Baek Ji-young married actor Jung Suk-won in 2013, and the couple has a daughter, Ha-im. Ha-im is reportedly attending an international school with annual tuition of 30 million won.