Former announcer Yoon Young-mi recently opened up about the immense struggles she faced while supporting her two sons’ studies abroad and the moment she finally felt free.
During the May 2nd episode of ‘Dongchimi’, the cast discussed the theme, “Where does the end of making money lie?”
Yoon Young-mi revealed, “For 13 years, I was solely responsible for my two sons’ education in the US.” She shared that they attended some of the most expensive universities in New York, costing over 100 million won per person annually. Including their middle and high school years, the total cost reached a staggering 2.6 billion won.
Having transitioned to freelance work just as her sons left for the US, she confessed, “I had to send 20 to 25 million won every month. I even lived in a rented room to make ends meet.” With her husband working as a pastor helping North Korean defectors and earning almost nothing, Yoon Young-mi felt the cycle of earning was endless. Despite handling four to five schedules a day, she admitted her body eventually gave out, especially while dealing with menopause.
She recalled heartbreaking moments when she didn’t have enough in her account to pay tuition. “I even canceled my insurance and didn’t turn down jobs that paid only 100,000 won,” she said. She added that the loneliness and pressure were so overwhelming that she once prayed, “Please let me not wake up tomorrow morning.”
Things finally changed two years ago when her sons graduated. Yoon Young-mi recalled, “I only had 970,000 won left in my bank account, but I was so happy that I no longer had to send tuition.” She even shared that she found herself dancing in the middle of Times Square in New York.
She also shared a heartwarming story about receiving luxury bags from her sons for her 30th wedding anniversary, adding, “Now that the hard times have passed, I finally feel a sense of reward.”
