Singer KCM has opened up about why he kept his marriage and two daughters secret for more than 12 years, saying fear of debt was the main reason.
Appearing on TV Chosun’s variety show “Lovers of Joseon” on Monday, KCM spoke with comedian Kim Byung-man about his long-hidden family life. The singer, who admitted earlier this year that he had a wife and two daughters, said he endured years of stress in silence.
“I worried that if I got married, my debts would become family debts. That fear kept me from revealing my family,” KCM said. “For about 12 years, I lived in solitude, suffering quietly.”
KCM, whose real name is Kang Chang-mo, married a noncelebrity woman who is nine years younger than him. The couple welcomed their first daughter in 2012 but did not hold a wedding at the time.
In 2021, during the pandemic, they officially registered their marriage and held a small ceremony with only close relatives and friends. Their second daughter was born in 2022. In March this year, KCM announced both his marriage and his children, surprising fans.
The singer recalled finally clearing his debts before registering the marriage with his wife.
“We cried together when we filed the papers,” he said. “When I went public with my marriage, I was scared. I knew some people would be shocked or criticize me for hiding it for so long. Being a celebrity means living off the love and attention of the public, and I had to let all of that go.”
KCM said his wife and eldest daughter initially urged him not to go public, but he insisted. “I told them, ‘As long as I have you, it’s enough. Even if I lose everything else, I’ll be fine.’”
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.