Former LABOUM member Yulhee shared why she decided to reclaim custody of her children from her ex-husband, FT Island member Choi Minhwan, on the November 5 episode of TV Chosun’s reality show All By Myself.
Yulhee expressed, “What parent wouldn’t want to be with their own children, to live with them and care for them? That was the hardest part. But when I thought about finding a place to live, returning to work, and handling everything alone with three kids, I realized it would be more stable for them to stay with their father. So I decided to let him have custody. After the agreement, I spent the final night watching the kids as they slept, until morning. Even then, I kept wondering, ‘Can I live without them? Is this the right decision? Did I make the right choice?’” she said tearfully.
She explained that she decided to appear on All By Myself after seeing negative comments about her since the custody arrangement, wanting to share her side of the story. She also revealed that her recent disclosure about Choi Minhwan’s visits to “hostess clubs” was part of her efforts to regain custody of her children. “I initially gave up custody because I was so exhausted that year that I didn’t even have the mental capacity to think straight. When I first found out, I wanted a divorce and planned to take the kids with me, but I didn’t know anything about the divorce process. At that time, I was so worn out, hurt, and mentally unstable that I just felt scared and small. When the topic of divorce came up, Minhwan suggested we pursue an uncontested divorce rather than litigation, so I agreed,” she said.
As for why she handed over custody, Yulhee explained, “I didn’t have the energy or strength to take legal action against him, so I thought I’d make the best decision possible for the kids. At the time, Minhwan and his mother were taking care of them, while my parents were raising my much younger sibling and also working. Moving into their house would mean seven people living in a small 30-pyeong (about 1,000-square-foot) apartment. When I compared our situations, it just became clear that he could provide a more stable environment than I could,” she said.
Yulhee also reflected on a particular comment she read, saying, “‘No matter how hard it was, if you had just pulled yourself together and filed a lawsuit, this wouldn’t be happening, and the kids would be happily with you.’ Reading that comment made me feel deeply regretful. I thought to myself, if only I had been a bit stronger back then, I wouldn’t have made that choice. I’m a mother, after all,” she confided, revealing her unspoken struggles.
Yulhee and Choi Minhwan married in 2018 and had one son and twin daughters. However, they announced their divorce in December of last year, with custody of the children going to Choi Minhwan.
>> Yulhee Takes Legal Action Against Choi Min Hwan, Pursues Custody Battle After Shocking Allegations
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