Recently, a controversial marriage story shared on the program “Lawyer Jo In Seop’s Counseling Room” on YTN Radio quickly drew widespread public attention in South Korea.

According to the report, a man in his 40s (referred to as A), who has a 10-year-old daughter, appeared on the show seeking legal advice as his marriage had fallen into a serious crisis. The cause stemmed from his wife becoming excessively obsessed with a male idol who rose to fame through a reality television program about two years ago.

At first, A said he believed his wife’s participation in fandom activities was simply a way for her to relieve stress while raising their child. However, over time, the situation gradually spiraled out of control. “Because she was constantly following the idol’s schedule, my wife stopped taking our child to and from school and completely neglected cooking and childcare,” A shared.

The situation reached a breaking point when he discovered overdraft loan notices under his name hidden inside the bedroom closet. Only then did A realize that his wife had secretly taken his personal seal to borrow money without his knowledge or consent.

What was even more shocking was that the wife had spent money to place birthday advertisements for the idol on large digital screens at Gangnam Station, and had purchased as many as 500 identical albums just to increase her chances of winning a fansign event. When all loans and credit card debts were added up, the total debt exceeded 80 million won (approximately 1.5 billion VND).

What pushed A into despair was his wife’s attitude. Not only did she refuse to admit any wrongdoing, she even shouted back at him: “Money can be earned again, but if oppa’s ranking drops, will you take responsibility for that?”

“From the moment I heard those words, I realized I could no longer continue living with her,” A said. He ultimately decided to file for divorce and seek full custody of their child.

Commenting on the case, attorney Shin Jin Hee from Shinsegae Law Firm stated:
“When someone goes beyond the boundaries of a normal hobby, completely neglects family responsibilities and child-rearing, and even causes severe financial damage to the household, this can be considered a serious reason why a marriage can no longer continue.”

The story has since sparked intense debate online about the fine line between idol fandom and family responsibility—a fragile boundary that, once crossed, can cost an entire family.