Ham So-won has explained why she ended her marriage to Jin Hua. On the October 22 episode of MBN’s current-affairs show “특종세상” (Special World), the actress said she decided to divorce quickly for the sake of her young daughter after their constant fighting became impossible to hide.
According to a report by Star News, the episode opened with Ham dragging a suitcase into an 8-pyeong studio apartment. “I have circumstances, so I need to stay here for a while,” she said. “Still, this is the best around here.” She explained she had bought a 29-year-old house and moved to a nearby studio temporarily because the old home needs a full remodel.
Her 9-year-old daughter Hye-jung helped her unpack. “Why isn’t Dad helping? I wish Dad would come over often and stay the night,” the girl said, voicing how much she misses her father.
In an interview with the production team, Ham revealed the moment that pushed her to end the marriage. “When the child was about five years old, she began to recognize that her parents were shouting,” she said, recalling her daughter’s look of understanding that “our parents are fighting.” Ham added: “Mom naturally becomes a mom. My ex-husband didn’t even want to recognize himself becoming a dad, and he couldn’t prepare for it. He wasn’t even old — he was 25. So we had no choice but to fight.”
She connected the decision to her own childhood. “My parents fought often, so it left me with wounds and it was hard,” Ham said. “So for my daughter’s sake, I settled it quickly as well.”
Separately, Sportschosun reported that a preview of the same episode showed Ham seriously weighing a remarriage with Jin Hua. “I think remarriage is necessary. We’re in a situation where we’re both taking each other seriously,” she said. But her mother strongly opposed the idea, saying of Jin Hua, “People don’t change. He only acts like he’s doing well when he needs something himself.”
Ham married Chinese businessman Jin Hua in April 2018 in a union that drew wide attention for its nearly 20-year age gap. They welcomed daughter Hye-jung later that year. Ham announced in August 2024 that the couple had divorced — revealing they had actually split in December 2022, citing personality differences and constant conflict. Even after the divorce, the two lived under the same roof to co-parent, before announcing a complete separation in October 2024.
The pair’s unconventional post-divorce dynamic continues to draw public interest — KpopFizz reported earlier this month that Ham admitted jealousy after Jin Hua sent her photos from a Busan trip with Chinese star Fan Bingbing. The episode aired October 22 at 9:10 p.m. Korean time.
