The 'voluntary single mother' that gained attention due to broadcaster Sayuri's choice is no longer a special story. The choice to have children through sperm donation without being married has established itself as 'the control of life' and a new form of family for some women.
On the 20th, a segment of TV Chosun's entertainment show 'My Child Has Been Born' aired, featuring a visit to a voluntary single mother family.
On that day, Park Soo-hong expressed his excitement, saying, 'Today, we meet a special family,' while Yang Se-hyung revealed, 'To be honest, I learned about this through the broadcast, and Sayuri and Heo Soo-kyung also had children the same way,' adding, 'I first encountered the concept of sperm donation through Sayuri, and seeing her so happy made me interested.'
Sayuri gained significant attention when she gave birth to her son Zen through sperm donation without being married in November 2020. This incident became the catalyst for the term 'voluntary single mother' to be officially known to the public.
However, another voluntary single mother who appeared on the program showed that this choice is no longer just a story for some celebrities. The featured individual, a specialist in internal medicine, was managing a busy hospital job while raising a child. Her resolution, expressed in her statement, 'I have decided to become a mother myself,' was strong. Regarding her decision to choose childbirth and parenting over marriage, she explained, 'There wasn't a dramatic turning point. Since I was young, I’ve thought that 'a child must be in my life,' and while marriage is possible later, there is a time limit to childbirth.'
The woman, who was 36 at the time, emphasized that her decision was a 'realistic choice' considering women's physical conditions. She humorously confessed, 'Dating felt like a waste of time, and if it were a political marriage, I would have diligently fulfilled my duties.' She added, 'I'm not critical of the institution of marriage. It’s just that having a child was the most important goal in my life.'
In this way, the choice to have children and build families without the procedures of marriage is becoming increasingly diverse. After the broadcast, viewers also expressed their support, saying, 'I never knew there were women who made this choice besides Sayuri,' 'For someone, parenting might be more important than marriage,' and 'That’s really a courageous decision.'
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