[Exclusive]“Marriage and Parenting Are a Predestined Bond”... Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyun-ho: What Is This Divorce Rumor? [★Full Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

• 'Trot's First Couple': Singer Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyeon-ho in Hanbok Interview

Singer Eun Ga-eun and her husband, Park Hyeon-ho, who have earned the title of "the first trot couple," shared their thoughts on the preciousness of family and the stage.

Park Hyeon-ho and Eun Ga-eun, a married couple, recently spoke with StarNews in an interview conducted to celebrate the Chuseok holiday, during which they shared various stories while wearing hanbok (traditional Korean clothing).

Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyun-ho, who married in April last year, are spending a particularly rich and busy period. On the 24th and the 16th of last month, they respectively released their first full-length album, "Eun Ga-eun's National Eight Regions," and a new digital single, "Let's Go for a Drink," further enriching their discography.

First, "Eun Ga-eun's Nationwide Tour" unfolds a variety of relatable stories—ranging from ordinary yet heartwarming daily life to longing for love and family—as it travels through every corner of the country, set against the backdrops of Seoul, Gangwon-do, Chungcheong-do, Gyeongsang-do, Jeju Island, and other regions. As a result, it has earned great acclaim from audiences across the entire nation.

Eun Ga-eun said of her first full-length album, "I wanted to make trot that truly embodies the genre." She added, "Trot has always been a genre capable of carrying a wide variety of stories, but I came to feel it would be wonderful if it could also capture the bonds between people and the unique character of different regions."

She continued, "In fact, my work has decreased significantly since becoming pregnant. I used to travel across the country to meet audiences, but as events have become fewer, the opportunities to see them have naturally diminished, which is very disappointing. That is why I also created this album with songs featuring regional dialects from various parts of the country, thinking it would be enjoyable. I strongly hope that these representative event songs will travel across all eight regions of Korea." She candidly shared her inner thoughts.

Her husband, Park Hyeon-ho, played a pivotal role in the creation of the title track "Jeonguk Paldo" (All Eight Regions of Korea). Recalling the album production process, Eun Ga-eun said, "For the title track, I wanted to include every region so that no area would feel left out. The weight of the task made it hard to even get started. After days of deliberation, I confided in Hyeon-ho, saying, 'I'm afraid I'm going to give up.' He has a habit of attaching melodies to words and repeating them. Hearing my worries, he immediately began composing in that manner. The title track, 'Jeonguk Paldo,' was the song we quickly created together in just 15 minutes inside the car," she explained, leaving listeners amazed.

Park Hyun-ho released "Let's Go for a Drink" on the 16th of last month, eight days earlier than Eun Ga-eun. This marks his first new song in approximately nine months since releasing "It's Getting Spicy" in December of last year. For this track as well, he participated directly in lyric writing and composition, fully showcasing his abilities as a singer-songwriter.

Regarding his new song, Park Hyun-ho shared the story behind its creation, saying, "I felt that none of my previous songs could truly be called 'this is trot.' As a result, I felt embarrassed whether I was performing at events or on television. This time, while thinking not only about what defines trot but also about what makes me who I am, the song 'Let's Go for a Drink' was born."

The couple, who share a strikingly similar personality and aspirations, have yet another point in common: both eventually found their footing in trot after exploring various genres. They also share exceptional musical abilities, excelling not only in songwriting and composition but also in producing entire albums.

Eun Ga-eun won the grand prize on MBC's "Show! Battle" in 2007, captivating both the audience and the judges with her powerful high notes. At the time, she was scouted by the late Shin Hae-cheol, who served as a judge on the show, and underwent trainee training, demonstrating that she was already an artist with exceptional skills. She later debuted in 2013 with "Drop It," but after a long period of obscurity, she transitioned to becoming a trot singer. In 2020, she participated in TV Chosun's "Miss Trot 2," where she placed seventh overall and began to gain widespread recognition.

Eun Ga-eun revealed her deep affection for trot, stating, "I was embarrassed to have made it into the Top 7 of 'Miss Trot 2' without truly understanding trot, and I felt that same embarrassment while continuing my activities in the genre. After thoroughly studying and delving into trot, I wanted to release a regular album only when I could feel confident about myself. That is how 'Eun Ga-eun's National Eight Provinces' was born. Having experienced virtually every genre, including classical music, jazz bands, rock, dance, ballads, and musicals, before coming to trot, I thought, 'Why did I not do trot until now? This is the genre I will sing for the rest of my life,' when I first had a solo stage in trot."

Park Hyeon-ho debuted in 2013 as a member of the idol group Top Dog and began his career as a trot singer in 2020 after completing his military service. He threw himself into numerous challenges, including his idol debut, leaving the group, pursuing a solo singing career, and acting in musicals, but also experienced periods when things did not go according to plan. Subsequently, he appeared on MBN's "Burning Trot Man" in 2020, finishing in 10th place and gaining recognition for his abilities.

Park Hyun-ho expressed his deep affection for the stage, saying, "No matter what stage I perform on, I aim to show 100% of what I have, approaching each performance with the mindset that 'there is no next time.' Even when performing at events, I want to make audiences like me and bring them joy through my music. Now that I have a family, and recently my daughter Seowon was born, it is true that I feel a greater sense of responsibility when working, and that responsibility serves as the driving force behind my activities."

The couple, who married in April last year, welcomed another joy this February with the birth of their daughter, Seo-won.

Park Hyun-ho recalled his daughter, Seo-won, and said, "I would die without my daughter now. Since we are new parents, it was hard at first and I couldn't even sleep. But the older she gets, the more beautiful and cute she becomes. My daughter is very gentle, and thanks to that, I feel like we are becoming good parents. She smiles just from seeing our eye-smiles. We have become the couple for whom parenting is the easiest." His witty remarks turned the venue into a sea of laughter.

She also shared her thoughts on having a second child. Eun Ga-eun said she is "thinking about it day by day," adding, "I am not exactly young anymore, so if I want to have another baby, I need to make plans soon. However, senior parents often advise that having children born in consecutive years can be difficult. On the other hand, because Seowon is so cute, I sometimes wonder how adorable a second child might be. My feelings on this matter change from day to day."

She continued, "In fact, as a singer, I have also gone through times that were not smooth sailing. Although I still have a long way to go, what I have achieved so far is truly precious and valuable to me. Nothing is taken for granted. That is why pregnancy is something that gives me pause. Having children and raising them means that I may have to stop my activities again for a period of time. I feel like I am always caught in conflict between being a 'good mother' and being 'singer Eun Ga-eun,' as she candidly shared her current concerns."

Park Hyun-ho, who was listening nearby, said, "As Ga-eun says, we are currently considering having a second child together. In fact, when I think about Seowon-ri, I do want another child. However, what takes priority above all else is Ga-eun. I absolutely do not want to do anything that would harm her health," demonstrating his consideration for Eun Ga-eun's well-being first and foremost.

There is a reason why Park Hyun-ho thinks of Eun Ga-eun first above all else. As her lifelong partner, Park knows better than anyone that the journey she has been through has by no means been smooth sailing.

Eun Ga-eun stated, "When I look back on my past life, it felt as if I were standing in the middle of a typhoon with howling wind and rain, wearing nothing but the clothes on my back. Since 'Mister T Trot 2,' many valuable opportunities have come my way, and I was able to meet someone I love."

She continued, "I feel incredibly happy, but at the same time, I was terrified of losing this position that I worked so hard to build. I think I worked without even realizing my body was in pain, driven by the thought that 'I cannot let this go.' And from that point on, doubts began to arise. Being a good wife, a good mother, and singer Eun Ga-eun—these three roles constantly clash. When I get a schedule, I am happy, but at the same time, I feel sorry for my daughter. Now that I have a family, I should be devoted to them, but simultaneously, I am afraid of losing the career I built with such difficulty," she candidly shared about her struggles.

What must Park Hyun-ho be feeling as he watches Eun Ga-eun? Park shared, "I can feel that Ms. Ga-eun is struggling on her own. Seeing her like that makes me feel sorry for her. I think if I work even harder, it might allow Ms. Ga-eun to put down some of the burden she carries. At the same time as feeling sorry, I am also grateful and feel a sense of responsibility."

He then carefully expressed his sense of regret toward Eun Ga-eun, saying, "I am working with Ga-eun in the trot genre, and it seems only natural that I want to do even better. I keep thinking, 'If I perform a little better, Ga-eun will shine even more, there will be synergy, and things will be less difficult for her.'"

In the end, smoke rose from a chimney that had not been lit, and once again, an innocent victim was created. The couple, Park Hyun-ho and Eun Ga-eun, who had to endure a difficult time due to rumors that suddenly spread, confessed to the emotional pain they experienced at the time.

After news of their marriage broke, they had to endure a difficult period amid baseless rumors, including claims that they were a show couple, that they would divorce within two years, and that Park Hyeon-ho was a chaebol heir.

Eun Ga-eun stated, "Everything is the opposite," regarding the absurd rumors surrounding her and her family. She added, "I had been wondering how to dispel these baseless rumors, but I am truly grateful that appearing on KBS 2TV's 'Men Who Do Housework 2' (hereinafter referred to as 'Housework Men 2') has helped alleviate the situation significantly. Until now, we had no platform to clarify the facts, which was incredibly frustrating."

He then explained the process of his decision to join "Salimnam 2," stating, "While I may have appeared blunt and strong-willed on some broadcasts, that is not actually how I am. Since it is television, there are various situations and demands involved. It seems that such portrayals led to the emergence of baseless rumors. Of course, having my private life or my daughter's face exposed was somewhat burdensome, but I decided to appear because I viewed 'Salimnam 2' as a platform where we could clarify those rumors."

Eun Ga-eun could not hide her distress over the rumors surrounding Park Hyun-ho. "Hyun-ho has also been through a long and difficult period," she said. "He is not someone who lives in financial abundance, so it was really painful when things like the chaebol theory started circulating. We are both much better off now, but at the height of the rumors, Hyun-ho struggled greatly while reading the comments." She shared her feelings about the hardships she had endured during that time.

Park Hyun-ho also displayed composure, stating, "I am truly much better now because all those rumors were not true. Ga-eun, I, and our daughter Se-won are living happily together at this very moment. Now, when malicious comments appear, Ga-eun and I look at them and just laugh it off."

Viewers are sending warm encouragement to the daily lives of three families revealed through "Salimnam 2" (My Wife's Family 2). They are watching with affectionate eyes the harmonious scenes of the three families, including Eun Ga-eun and Park Hyeon-ho's realistic and tender newlywed life, as well as the adorable and lovable appearance of their seven-month-old daughter, Seong-won.

The two expressed their gratitude to viewers, saying, "We are truly grateful for the support from our audience. We feel that we must strive to repay them by showing an even better performance."

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*This content was translated by AI.