[Sportschosun, Reporter Jung An-ji] Broadcaster Ji Yeon-soo opened up about the very real financial burden she has faced while raising her son as a single mother.
On the 21st, a video titled "Subscriber Story [Visitation Rights] Advice" was uploaded to the YouTube channel "Ji Yeon-soo's Yeonsuropta."
In the video, Ji Yeon-soo discussed her own experience raising her son Minsu in response to a story from a single mother in her 30s who is raising an elementary school-age son alone and wants to teach him soccer, which he wants to play, but is hesitating because of her recurring monthly expenses.
As children advance through school, their expenses increase, and the number of things they want also grows," Ji Yeon-soo said. "My son Minsu wants to do many things too, but there were many things I had to deny him because of money. I felt really sorry.
She also spoke frankly about monthly fixed expenses of 2 million won. "Even taekwondo costs extra because you have to take special lessons each time you earn a belt," she said. "When you add up the taekwondo academy fees and the weekend special activities, it costs more than 300,000 won a month, at the very least."
Ji Yeon-soo also expressed empathy for the woman who was cutting back on coffee and food deliveries to save as much as possible.
"It's been a long time since I bought anything. It's not that I don't buy things because I lack the desire; I can't bring myself to spend the money," she said. "As a mother, it becomes only natural to save on those things and spend the money on your child," she added, conveying the feelings of parents who reduce their own spending for their children.
She also mentioned the practical burden of everyday living expenses. "Even if I do nothing but breathe, more than 2 million won just goes out every month," Ji Yeon-soo said. "On top of that, you have to run the air conditioner in summer, and in winter there are gas bills and so many other additional expenses." She added, "If 2 million won goes out every month, that's still the average. It costs a lot to raise one child."
In particular, Ji Yeon-soo confessed that even taking a break was difficult in her circumstances. "There were times when I couldn't buy my child toys and other things because I had no money. I even cried because I felt so miserable," she revealed.
"I have a basic income I need to earn, too. I can't afford to get sick because I have to meet that amount. I have no days off. I pushed myself incredibly hard to get by," she said. "I tried weekend part-time jobs and everything else. But when even that wasn't enough, I would search extensively for benefits provided by the government," she added, drawing attention.
Meanwhile, Ji Yeon-soo married Eli, a former member of the group UKISS, in 2014, and they had a son, Minsu. They divorced in 2020. Ji Yeon-soo is raising their son alone, while Eli recently remarried, drawing attention.
Last August, Ji Yeon-soo revealed through her YouTube channel that she was working part-time at a gomtang restaurant while concealing the fact that she was a television personality in order to make a living.
anjee85@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
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