Korean Model Lee Hyun-I Embarks on Overseas Education Journey for Her Sons
In the latest episode of Maeil Broadcasting Network (MBN) and MBC Drama Net’s co-produced reality program ‘살아보고서’, model Lee Hyun-I shines a spotlight on the evolving priorities of modern Korean parents when it comes to global education.
Broadcasting on May 30th, the sixth episode introduces Lee Hyun-I as the featured guest who embarks on a quest to find the ideal overseas destination for her sons—aged nine and five. Intent on offering her children a broader worldview, Lee shares, “I want them to see how vast the world is. I’m not just looking for English education, but also places where they can experience nature and learn a second language.”
Guiding her journey are celebrity hosts MC Lee Ji-Hye and entertainer Jay Sun, who present two rival education hubs: the Philippines, acclaimed for its English immersion academies, and Malta, an emerging hotspot for immersive language programs. In a playful yet passionate ‘education showdown,’ they debate which country better fits Lee’s parenting philosophy.
During a studio conversation, Lee’s close friend MC Lee Ji-Hye welcomes her by calling her a ‘parenting senior.’ She digs deeper into Lee’s unique upbringing and her academically accomplished family, jokingly adding that Lee is a renowned graduate of Ewha Womans University with a prosecutor younger brother.
Lee candidly shares, “I’ve never been nagged to study. However, my mother had high expectations. If I didn’t understand idiomatic expressions, she’d casually drop comments like, ‘You don’t know that? Do you even read?’ That subtle challenge encouraged me to push myself.”
Reflecting on Korea’s competitive academic environment, Lee remarks, “Nowadays, it’s too late to start studying seriously in high school. My brother began preparing later, but times have changed.”
Co-hosts Jay Sun and Kim Sung-Joo also chime in with parenting anecdotes. Jay notes, “Parents today must learn alongside their children,” while Kim confesses, “I didn’t involve myself much in my children’s education, and eventually, they only turned to their mother.” He adds humorously that trying to reengage later resulted in friction with his wife.
In a light-hearted exchange, Lee acknowledges this with, “It’s annoying when someone jumps into an already set plan.” The studio bursts into laughter. Jay Sun ups the emotional stakes, saying, “I prepared this as if I were sending my child Junbeom abroad.” MC Lee then shares, “My daughter Ellie likes Lee Hyun-I’s son Yoonseo, and my son Taeri likes her daughter Yeongseo. This could be the beginning of a family alliance—so yes, our research is extensive.”
The episode concludes with both hosts boasting the merits of their chosen destinations but ultimately aims to discover: which country provides an educational environment that fulfills both parental expectations and children’s happiness? The answer will be revealed in episode 6, airing simultaneously on both MBN and MBC Drama Net at 10:20 PM on May 30.
