South Korean actress Lee Si-young is pregnant with her second child, several months after her divorce.
The 43-year-old confirmed in March that she and her then husband, restaurant entrepreneur Cho Seong-hyun, had split after submitting divorce documents to the Seoul Family Court earlier in 2025.
She married Cho, who is nine years older, in September 2017, and gave birth to their son Jung-yoon in January 2018.
Lee took to Instagram on July 8 to make the surprise announcement of her latest pregnancy.
“Eight years ago, when I was expecting Jung-yoon, who is now the most important person in my life, I was not married and was filming a TV drama,” she wrote in Korean. “I was younger at that time and had many shortcomings.”
Lee said as her son grew older, she regretted feeling so anxious during her pregnancy.
“I prepared for my second child through in-vitro fertilisation during my marriage,” she added.
“The fertilised embryo was not implanted and, as time passed, the topic of divorce was raised. As all the legalities (of our marriage) were being sorted out, coincidentally, the time came for us to make a choice as the five-year embryo storage limit was almost up.”
Lee said she decided to have the embryos implanted, even though it was done without her former husband’s consent.
“I had always wanted another child, and I didn’t want to experience the regret I felt with Jung-yoon again,” she wrote. “I couldn’t bear the thought of disposing the embryos as they reached the end of their storage period.”
She added the only thing that kept her going during her difficult marriage was her son, who filled her with happiness, hope and inspiration.
“I had a miraculous child who made me feel like motherhood was the reason for my existence,” she said. “I know there are a lot of challenges ahead, and I have had concerns about various scenarios, but all these aside, I want to believe that my choice is worth it.”
Cho confirmed to South Korean media outlet Dispatch that he was initially against Lee’s decision, as they are divorced. However, he said he will fulfil his responsibility as a father now that his ex-wife is pregnant with their second child.
“We have been communicating frequently due to our first child,” he said. “We will do our best to fulfil our respective roles by discussing the necessary aspects of giving birth and raising a second child.”
Lee made her acting debut in 2008 and rose to prominence in the hit K-drama Boys Over Flowers (2009) and the first season of reality variety show We Got Married in 2009.
More recently, she acted in Netflix apocalyptic series Sweet Home (2020 to 2024), receiving favourable reviews for her role as Yi-kyung, a firefighter and former special forces soldier.
She is currently starring in comedy-action drama Salon De Holmes, playing one of the four housewives who become amateur sleuths in their neighbourhood while rediscovering their aspirations. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
