In 'Dad and Me,' actor and shaman Lee Gun-joo revealed his family history, culminating in a meeting with his mother after approximately 44 years.
In the TV Chosun program 'Dad and Me' broadcast on the 15th, Lee Gun-joo, known as 'Sundol,' portrayed his first journey to find his mother after 44 years, living a second life as an actor and shaman.
Lee Gun-joo confessed that, unlike his glamorous appearance on TV, he was separated from his parents at the age of 2 and was raised by his grandmother and aunts. He noted that he has been estranged from his father for 10 years and revealed that he does not even know his mother's name or face, sharing a hidden family history that evoked sympathy from many. Reflecting on this, he stated, "For me, parents are a painful word," and struggled to hold back his tears.
In fact, Lee Gun-joo mentioned that he almost met his mother 15 years ago through a morning broadcast program. At that time, Lee Gun-joo's mother was watching from a distance to meet her son, but he gave up the meeting, saying, "I wasn't ready yet." However, unlike 15 years ago, Lee Gun-joo, whose feelings had changed, confessed, "I became convinced that I wanted to see my mom by appearing on 'Dad and Me,'" and remarked, "I feel at ease now. I’ve been wondering what kind of person my mom is; simply put, was it just that I wanted to see my mom? I started thinking a lot about myself," showing his tears.
Seeking a way to make contact, Lee Gun-joo found that no information was available from 15 years ago so he decided to visit the community center to obtain a family relationship certificate. He appeared nervous, saying, “I am scared and trembling,” as he received the document. Upon receiving it, he expressed surprise, saying, "So this was my mother's real name," learning her name for the first time in 44 years.
However, Lee Gun-joo's expression suddenly froze as he said, "My mind went blank. I don’t know if it's because I’m a shaman, but what I thought was correct," expressing confusion. When asked about the reason for his distress, he shared, "I found out she was living where I thought she would be," mentioning the location as Gangwon Province. He mentioned he had a vague sense it might be Gangwon. He then learned that after remarrying, his mother had siblings with different surnames and discovered that his name was listed in the family registry. He said, "There were siblings I don’t know, with different last names. Seeing the names of family members I am linked to but don’t know was confusing."
When asked if he was determined to meet his mother, Lee Gun-joo responded, "If all the circumstances allow it, shouldn’t I meet her at least once?" as he headed to meet her. It was the first meeting in 44 years. He expressed, "I am scared and nervous, but let’s go. My mom has been this close, right here," while pondering, "Is it right for me to go? Will she come?" showing signs of anxiety.
Amid the anticipation of whether a mother-son reunion could take place after 44 years, he arrived at the address listed on the documents. Stopping in front of a building, Lee Gun-joo mentioned, "Just like 15 years ago, she seems to be waiting for me," and finally, the door opened. At that moment, his mother appeared, crying, saying, "Gun-joo, it’s mom," and expressed, "I missed you," shedding tears. The long-awaited reunion of mother and son took place.
Lee Gun-joo remarked, "So this person is my mom," showing emotional turmoil and hinting at the story behind his mother's life, teasing the next episode.
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