Actor Lee Dong-gun says he's concerned about his daughter Roa approaching puberty.
On March 8, SBS aired an episode of the variety show My Ugly Duckling that followed Lee's daily life after he moved into a new home.
That day, Lee finished decorating Roa's room to keep a promise to his daughter, who is now in third grade.
When fellow guest Choi Dae-cheol visited, the conversation turned to Lee's relationship with his daughter. Asked how he spends time with Roa, Lee said, "We go to her grandparents' house to eat, visit kids' cafes and draw. If a new animated movie comes out, we go see it together. I think of it more as playing with her than parenting."
Choi raised the topic of puberty, noting it can become difficult to enter a daughter's room before she reaches high school: "You always have to knock before going in, and changing clothes can be sensitive, right?" Lee agreed, saying he shares those concerns.
Lee said, "I don't know how Roa's view of a father who doesn't live with her will change when she hits puberty," adding that he's both anxious and hopeful and is trying to nurture a positive relationship.
Roa sometimes tells him while they spend time together, "I wish I could live with you. I want to live with you." Lee said he replies, "Me too," though the reality of their divorce left him with a bittersweet expression.
Lee married actress Jo Yoon-hee in 2017 and the couple welcomed daughter Roa. They divorced in 2020; Jo Yoon-hee holds custody.
In May last year, Lee was linked to Kang Hae-rim, who is 16 years his junior. Neither side officially confirmed a relationship, but photos showing them publicly dating around Gangnam effectively signaled a romance.
Reporter Tae Yuna, TenAsia youyou@tenasia.co.kr
