An internationally adored actress just announced she’s expecting her second child via IVF… just months after splitting from the father.
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Actress Lee Si-young, 43, announced her second pregnancy, four months after divorcing restaurateur Cho Seong-hyun.
“My ex-husband did not agree, but I have decided to bear the full weight of this decision,” she wrote on Instagram of the decision, per The Korea Times. “I could not bring myself to discard the embryo that was nearing the end of its storage period. My life as a mother has always been my greatest source of strength.”
Lee is known for her roles in Boys Over The Flowers (2009) and the Netflix series Sweet Home (2020). She also joined the national boxing team in 2013. Lee married Cho in 2017, and their first son was born in 2018. The couple announced their divorce in March after eight years of marriage.
Per The Korea Times, using IVF after divorce without the other party’s consent is extremely rare in Korea.
During their marriage, Lee and Cho underwent IVF but did not implant the fertilized embryo. After their relationship ended and the five-year storage period neared expiration, Lee chose to proceed with implantation despite Cho’s objections.
“When I had my son eight years ago, it was before getting married and while I was filming a drama,” she continued. “Each year, I regretted and blamed myself for the moments I spent in anxiety. I always wanted children, and I never wanted to repeat the regrets I felt with my first child.”
“There may be many difficulties in the future,” the actress admitted. “But even considering all possibilities, I want to believe that my choice now is more valuable.”
Lee Si-young’s Ex-Husband Responds to Her Using Their Frozen Embryos for IVF Months After Divorce
Meanwhile, Cho, her ex-husband, stated that while he disagrees with Lee’s decision, he remains committed to fulfilling his responsibilities as a father.
“Although I opposed the second pregnancy, now that the child is coming, I will do my best as a father,” he told Dispatch, via The Korea Times. “Lee and I have continued to communicate for the sake of our first child, and we will cooperate regarding the upbringing of both children.”