South Korean actress Lee Si-young, 43, has revealed that she is expecting her second child after choosing to implant a frozen embryo created five years ago with her now-ex-husband, restaurateur Cho Seong-hyun. The surprise disclosure, made in a lengthy Instagram post on July 8, comes just four months after the couple finalised their divorce and has immediately become a flashpoint in South Korea’s ongoing conversation about reproductive rights, single parenthood, and the country’s record-low birth rate.
A carefully worded Instagram confession
Posting a black-and-white sonogram image, Lee told her 3 million followers that the embryo’s five-year storage deadline was days away from expiry when she decided to go ahead with implantation, despite Cho’s opposition:
“Although the other party did not agree, I chose to proceed and will bear the full weight of my decision.” Soompi
She said the impending loss of the embryo—and regrets over the anxiety she felt during her first pregnancy with son Jeong-yoon, now seven—pushed her to act.
Frozen-embryo deadline and the ex-husband’s reaction
Cho confirmed to media outlet Dispatch that he had not consented to the procedure but “would fulfil his responsibilities as a father” now that a second child is on the way.
Under South Korean bioethics rules, frozen embryos can be stored for up to five years; unless renewed, they must be discarded. Lee said she “could not bring herself to throw the embryo away,” framing her choice as one of maternal duty rather than defiance.
Legal Grey Zones: Whose Consent Counts?
Former Seoul Family Court judge Lee Hyun-gon noted that because the baby will be born after the divorce, Cho will have to formally acknowledge paternity or face a court action—procedures that determine custody, inheritance and child-support rights. He added that using a fertilised embryo without the genetic father’s consent could spark a novel lawsuit, though no Korean statute explicitly forbids post-divorce embryo use.
Other legal experts point out that Korean law treats embryos as a couple’s “shared reproductive material,” leaving courts to interpret whether marital consent survives divorce. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has yet to comment.
Public opinion: “Her body, her choice” vs. “crossed the line”
Hashtags such as #LeeSiYoungIVF and #SingleMomStrong trended on X (formerly Twitter) within hours, with supporters praising her “courage to choose life.” Critics argue the move tramples the ex-husband’s reproductive rights, warning of “a dangerous precedent.” Online polls on Naver and Daum show opinion split almost evenly.
Fertility crisis backdrop
Lee’s news arrives as South Korea grapples with the world’s lowest fertility rate—0.75 births per woman in 2024—despite billions of dollars in pro-natalist incentives. Assisted-reproductive-technology (ART) procedures, including IVF, have risen sharply; a 2025 Frontiers in Reproductive Health review estimates ART now accounts for between 1.5 % and 5.9 % of Korean births, mirroring trends across the OECD.
A career still in motion
Lee, who debuted in 2008’s reality show We Got Married and most recently starred in Netflix’s Sweet Home (2020-24) and Zombieverse (2023), remains one of Korea’s most bankable action actresses. Industry insiders say filming for her upcoming disaster thriller “Deep Freeze” was already on hiatus for post-production, meaning the pregnancy should not derail release plans.
What happens next?
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Medical timeline: Lee did not reveal how far along she is, but IVF pregnancies are typically announced after the first-trimester viability scan.
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Paternity steps: Cho must decide whether to acknowledge the child or wait for a court petition to be filed voluntarily.
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Policy ripple: Women’s-rights lawyers predict the case could prompt lawmakers to clarify consent requirements for stored embryos—a niche but growing issue as more Korean couples turn to ART.
For now, Lee says she is “filled only with gratitude for the new life that has come to me,” vowing to raise the baby—even if it means doing so alone.
