Divorced Idol Mom Spends Quality Time With Son After Facing Intense Custody Criticism
In December 2023, former LABOUM member Yulhee and FTISLAND‘s Choi Minhwan filed for divorce, officially ending their high-profile marriage as an “idol couple.” Between the two, one son and two daughters were born, and in the process of their divorce, Choi Minhwan took full custody of all three children.
Former LABOUM Member Yulhee And FTISLAND’s Minhwan Are Getting Divorced
Since then, idol-turned-influencer Yulhee has been berated again and again for “giving up” on her children. When it was announced that Yulhee would be appearing in TV Chosun‘s new program, All By Myself, to talk about her divorce, she faced intense backlash for “hurting her children.”
Recently, after a recent teaser showed Yulhee getting emotional while talking about the hate she received for letting her ex-husband take the children…
I’ve heard people say that I gave up on my kids… That I abandoned them so I could go back to having fun and living a carefree life…
— Yulhee
…the comments got heated over whether or not Yulhee had the right to talk about her children on television.
- “You couldn’t keep your group together. Couldn’t keep your family together. You’re always running away from your commitments. I’m not criticizing you for it, I just feel bad. Didn’t you also try college but quit? Try committing to something and seeing it through. Hwaiting.”
- “It’s not that the kids’ dad loves them any less. Just generally speaking… It’s not usual for a mom to leave her kids behind. Especially if the kids are young. It’s impossible to live without them. But seeing how she left all three behind… Says a lot.”
- “I feel like it might be better if she stayed out of the spotlight for a bit. I know that she probably wants to show things from her POV, but… I don’t think people will be all that understanding.”
- “Choi Minhwan should be the one crying, though… Like, she deserves the criticism. Why is she even crying? She did give up on the kids and she is living life however she wants to.”
- “I mean… You could have chosen to raise them. But you didn’t and you freed yourself from it all. Raising three kids is no joke. I wish the ex-husband the best of luck.”
But despite the negative buzz, it seems Yulhee and her children are doing just fine.
In her latest Q&A held over Instagram Stories, she showed off a screenshot of a phone call lasting over an hour and a half—with a caption noting that she and her son, Choi Jae Yul, chatted and gamed together the whole time.
In fact, this is not the first time Yulhee featured Jae Yul or her other children on her Instagram since the divorce. Unlike the naysayers’ claim, that she has up and left the kids for a non-mom life, Yulhee seems to make time to spend with her children, though not all documented on social media, and her children seem content to be with her.
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The divorce did change how Yulhee felt about dating, though. Read more about her most unfiltered advice here:
Former 3rd-Gen Idol Gives Unfiltered Dating Advice After Going Through Divorce And Giving Up Custody
