"Brother, I love you"... Hearing his younger sibling's words after 42 years, Lee Geon-ju finally shed tears.
In "Dad and Me," Lee Geon-ju shed tears at his younger sibling's heartfelt words in awkward Korean.
The story of Lee Geon-ju, who met his younger sibling adopted to France after 42 years and shared their feelings for the first time, was aired on TV Chosun's "Dad and Me" on the 17th.
During the day, while continuing their clumsy yet heartfelt conversation, Lee Geon-ju said, "If you ever suddenly feel curious, please let me know." Then, his younger sibling gently smiled and replied, "I hope we can slowly get to know each other. I am really glad we can talk like this again," and added, "Above all, I am happy to trust and rely on you. I hope you can trust and rely on me when you're going through tough times as well."
At those words, Lee Geon-ju's eyes welled up. "The words 'lean on me' are not easy to say. I should be the one to say that to you... Sometimes, you seem more like the older brother to me," he said. His younger sibling responded, "Whether it's older brother or younger brother doesn't matter. The most important thing is that we are a 'family.'" Lee Geon-ju revealed that he felt both sorry and grateful at his younger sibling's words. The younger sibling also expressed gratitude, saying, "Just coming to France for me is enough. You gave me the answer I have been curious about my whole life, and I believe that is a testament to the love you have given me."
Continuing the mood, Lee Geon-ju handed his younger sibling a letter he had written while looking at a French translation app. The younger sibling also took out a letter prepared in French, and they conveyed their true feelings to each other that they could not express in words. The younger sibling felt touched by Lee Geon-ju's letter, saying, "I really felt that you showed courage."
Afterward, Lee Geon-ju visited his younger sibling's adoptive parents' house after 18 years and said, "It all feels like a dream. It’s so good to see you," unable to hide his overwhelming emotions. Then suddenly, he shed tears, asking, "Why couldn't we live normally as siblings?" Lee Geon-ju continued, "If we had been happy together when we were young, we wouldn't have been so lonely. It still pains me that we couldn't be there for each other when we needed each other the most."
In that moment, the younger sibling quietly said, "Since you came back, the wounds inside me have disappeared. Even when I was alone, I was lonely, but now I am not lonely because you are here." Then came the heartfelt words from the younger sibling, "Brother, I love you." Once again, Lee Geon-ju shed tears. He stated, "When I heard 'I love you, brother' in your awkward Korean, it became a moment I will never forget. Every sincere feeling of my younger sibling was included in those words. Now that we truly understand each other’s feelings, I think we can get along better going forward," he shared. He added, "I feel like the puzzle of being a family is gradually being completed. My younger sibling has entered my life. Now that I know I have family in France, I feel so happy and blessed."
The younger sibling also conveyed hope, saying, "The time we missed, I believe we can make up for it together starting now. It's not too late yet." At the end of the broadcast, the younger sibling prepared a video letter for Lee Geon-ju, expressing, "Please know that you are my brother, that I love you, and that I will always be by your side. I will always be here for you whenever you need me," bringing tears to everyone's eyes. After 42 years, the younger sibling's heartfelt words brought the siblings, who had been separated by fate, back together with just one phrase: 'I love you.'
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