Im Byeong-gi, a 54-year veteran and living legend of historical dramas, has opened up for the first time about his turbulent life, including two divorces caused by a spouse’s infidelity and business failures.
On the 20th, a video titled “I only knew acting… Wife caught cheating in my car? Turbulent marriage history of two divorces” was released on the channel ‘Special World’. In the video, fellow actors praised him, calling him a “legend of historical dramas” and a “well-managed and knowledgeable senior.” Having appeared in over 200 projects, including epic historical dramas like ‘Han Myeong-hoe’, ‘Tears of the Dragon’, and ‘Taejo Wang Geon’, he was shown still maintaining his health through swimming.
Despite his glittering career, his life was a series of hardships. Having survived pancreatic and stomach cancer surgeries, Im Byeong-gi recalled a terrifying moment: “I fell off a horse during filming and hit my head on a rock, splitting my skull. Blood gushed out like a waterfall.” He shared that he survived thanks to actor Lee Kwang-gi, who used his clothes to stop the bleeding and carried him to the emergency room. The accident also led to hip necrosis, requiring artificial joint surgery.
The betrayal in his marriage left deeper scars than his physical pain. Im Byeong-gi, who has lived alone for 30 years, revealed, “I married my friend’s niece, who was 14 years younger, after dating for three years. However, while my acting career was peaking, I witnessed my first wife’s infidelity.” After the pain of the first divorce, he remarried, but his second wife accumulated massive debt through various business ventures, leading to another divorce.
The divorces left deep wounds for his children as well. Im Byeong-gi teared up, recalling, “My youngest was only a 9-year-old elementary student, and I felt lost on how to raise them. My daughter asked, ‘Dad, can’t I go with Mom?’ and it broke my heart.” Although the ex-wife had stated she would not take the children, he couldn’t bring himself to tell his daughter that. “I had to tell her, ‘I must hold onto you, you have to live with Dad,’ which was so painful,” he sighed. Due to his scarred past, he confessed that he feels he has no luck with women in his fate, adding, “I’m worried that more misfortune will occur and I’m afraid of getting hurt again.”
The episode became even more touching when his daughter, who had worried about her father for a long time, appeared. When Im Byeong-gi told her, “I tried my best to take care of you after the divorce when you were young, but I feel I was always lacking,” his daughter offered heartfelt support, saying, “I hope Father opens his heart and meets someone now. Rather than looking for a specific result, I just want him to communicate with someone.” After surviving cancer, near-fatal accidents, and two failed marriages, Im Byeong-gi walked a lonely path to protect his children. Viewers are now sending warm encouragement as he cautiously finds the courage for a “twilight romance” thanks to his daughter’s support.
Netizens reacted with comments such as, “It’s heartbreaking that his life had so many ups and downs,” “I can’t imagine how he felt witnessing the infidelity,” “It’s so tear-jerking that he hid the truth about the mother to protect his daughter,” and “Lee Kwang-gi did a great thing. I hope he meets a wonderful person and finds happiness, just as his daughter wished.”
