“That one word severed the bond of kinship”… The bitter truth of an 18-year estrangement between brothers.
On the show 'Dad and Me,' Lee Gun-joo and his brother revealed how they severed their bond of kinship.
In the broadcast of TV Chosun's 'Dad and Me' on the 17th, Lee Gun-joo and his French adopted brother Geon-cheol confessed the true reason behind their 18-year estrangement.
On that day, Lee Gun-joo reminisced with his brother about their past, which began 18 years ago. The truth of that day was rooted in nothing other than a 'misunderstanding of language.' Although the brothers first met in Korea, a trivial comment marked the beginning of their conflict. Geon-cheol's question in French, "What’s wrong?" sounded to Lee Gun-joo like a Korean insult due to their lack of understanding of each other's languages.
Lee Gun-joo said, “I was really surprised back then. I thought my brother was insulting me, and from that point on, I closed my heart,” adding, “It was a misunderstanding due to language. Looking back now, it’s really unfortunate.” His brother Geon-cheol also couldn't forget that day. “I said 'What’s wrong?' in French, but seeing my brother's displeased expression, I feared the situation would worsen, so I left,” he confessed, adding, “Since we didn't part on good terms, I felt a lot of guilt.”
However, the separation of the two was not solely due to a misunderstanding. Their young age, immature emotional expression, and sensitive pride also played significant roles. Geon-cheol admitted, “I was so young back then. If I didn’t like something, I would just pack my bags and leave. Looking back, it was a decisive and childish action,” adding, “I worried that my brother might have been hurt.”
Older brother Lee Gun-joo also reflected, "I was immature back then. My brother must have felt frustrated, and I regret that I couldn't comfort him and instead impulsively said 'Then leave.'" He continued, "But now, I feel that those times have made us even stronger," and added with a smile, "We are close now; it really feels like we are family."
In response, Geon-cheol said, “I am proud that you are my brother. It feels even better that it's you, not anyone else,” reaffirming the strong bond of trust between the two brothers. This estrangement of 18 years caused by a small misunderstanding, but forgiveness and understanding ultimately reconnected the 'bond of kinship.'
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