"That feeling was incredibly painful": Miss Korea runner up Go Hyun Jung shares the pain of being apart from children after divorcing Samsung heir

By Linh Chi December 2, 2024 | 06:21 am PT

Go Hyun Jung, 1989 Miss Korea runner-up, recently shared the emotional impact of being separated from her children after divorcing Chung Yong Jin, grandson of Samsung's founder and chairman of Shinsegae Group.

In her first TV appearance in 15 years on tvN’s "You Quiz on the Block" on Nov. 27, Go revealed the sadness she feels from not being close to her children.

"Because I haven't lived with them, I have felt shy and unfamiliar around them. I never realized how sad it could feel to not be close to them," Go said. "That feeling was incredibly painful. It's something that's gone now and can't be filled. I was deeply hurt by it."

Miss Korea 1989 runner-up and actress Go Hyun Jung. Photo from Go's management agency's Instagram

Reflecting on her marriage to Chung, which took place at the peak of her career, Go admitted that her focus on her private life led her to undervalue the success of her role in the iconic 1995 drama "Sandglass".

"I was so focused on dating back then that filming the drama felt like an interruption. The popularity I gained from "Sandglass" was something rare and precious, but at the time, I didn't value it and didn't want to feel its significance."

She also shared a personal moment from her first pregnancy, when she experienced overwhelming guilt about her decision to prioritize her relationship over her career.

"I thought to myself, ‘What was I doing?’ I was so irresponsible. I thought I had given my all, but I realized there were leaks in my life. I cried constantly but couldn’t cry with anyone else," she said.

Go, 53, and Chung, 56, initially met by chance in New York when Chung helped Go locate her seat at the Winter Garden Theatre due to her limited English, reported by Korea JoongAng Daily.

Post-divorce, there were rumors that Chung’s family had looked down on Go and conversed in English in her presence, according to Korea Times. Go has denied these claims during a television appearance.

Following her separation from Chung, Go has reclaimed her position as one of South Korea’s leading actresses. She became the highest-paid actress in the country following her 2009 TV series "Queen Seondeok." Her latest work includes the 2023 web series "Mask Girl."

Chung remarried flutist Han Ji Hee, daughter of former Korean Air vice president Han Sang Bum, in 2011, as per reports by The Chosun Daily.