Song Ok Sook’s Love

Veteran actress Song Ok Sook (Beethoven Virus) opened up her family life to the public through a special story about her and her adopted 12-year-old daughter, Song Ji Won, on an episode of MBC Human Documentary Love titled “Fourth Mother” on May 1.

"Fourth Mother", Human Documentary Love

Ji Won was born to a Filipino mother and Korean father in Seoul. She was abandoned by her biological mother right after she was born. Although she was taken in by the family of Song’s relative, she was abandoned again by her second and third mother following her foster parents’ divorce and remarriage. Finally, she met her fourth mother, Song Ok Sook.

Even though Ji Won had been living with Song’s family since she was adopted in 2007, Ji Won was unable to completely open her heart to the family due to the emotional scars and abandonment she had received in the past. The episode shows the story of Song, her husband (Lee Jong Jin), and her daughter (Lee Chang Seon) on a quest to become a true family to Ji Won.

“Fourth Mother” shows the difficulties of families with adopted children through the imperfect relationship between Song’s family and Ji Won. Whenever Song gives a scolding to her two daughters, she always tries to read Ji Won’s mind. When she scolds Chang Seon, whom she gave birth to, she can do so without hesitation. However, she worries about scolding Ji Won in case she will hurt Ji Won’s feelings. This applies vice-versa to Ji Won. She rarely expresses her opinion, and tries not to burden anyone even when she’s ill. When picking a Christmas present, she chooses after her younger sister chooses one. Song teared up, saying, “[I] think she knows that she is the second.”

It is hard for Chang Seon and Song’s husband as well. Chang Seon grew up as a only child till she was 9, and has had some trouble adjusting to sharing everything. However, she staunchly defends her adoptive sister when Chang Seon gets made fun of at school. Lee Jong Jin, who was the one to suggest adopting Ji Won to his wife, admitted the unfortunate truth: “Chang Seon is still lovelier [to me].”

Song’s family travels to the Philippines together, Ji Won’s biological mom’s country, to look for Ji Won’s roots. Even though Ji Won seemed diminished in Korea, she constantly looks happy in the Phillipines. However, to questions of natives asking “Is your mom Filipino?”, she shakes her head. She is confused about whether her identity belongs to her biological mother’s country or Korea, where she grew up. Song bonds with Ji Won by reaching out to her through continual conversations.

Song Ok Sook, who was hurt from the failure of first marriage, expressed her feelings about her adoption, “Like my second marriage and my daugther I had late became a cure to me, [I] want to be a cure for Ji Won’s painful life.”

The PD of the program, Kim Sae Byul, said during the press conference on April 29, “It is called ‘filming healing’ among us. We were glad that Ji Won’s facial expression brightened up a lot after filming.”

Source: nocutnews, asiae, mydaily