KCM reveals why he hid his family: “I was afraid my debt would burden them"

KCM opened up about why he kept his marriage and two daughters a secret.

KCM shared that during the time he hid their existence, he was facing severe financial struggles. “I was in a very difficult place financially,” he confessed. “I was afraid that if I got married, my debt would become my family’s burden. That scared me. I wanted to get married cleanly and confidently, but things just kept getting worse.”

He went on to explain that after returning from military service, his career came to a halt for nearly three to four years. “I desperately wanted to solve things, and whenever someone showed me a little kindness, I clung to it—but that led to even worse situations,” he said. “I was scammed under my name. I didn’t understand what joint surety was, and I ended up taking all the responsibility. It was really painful.”

KCM recalled how difficult it was to even borrow a small amount of money. “When you’re broke, the closer you are to someone, the harder it is to ask,” he said. He revealed that he didn’t tell his close friend Kim Tae Woo because “he looks strong on the outside, but he’s actually very softhearted. I was afraid that if I told him, he would panic and try everything to help me. That’s why I kept it from even him.”

Kim Tae Woo responded with shock and sympathy, saying, “I had no idea it was that serious.” KCM added, “It feels like a miracle that everything eventually got resolved. I was finally able to register my marriage, and we had our second child. My wife and I cried so much. I wanted to tell people about our second child, but I hadn’t even shared news about the first. I knew it was time to be honest, especially if we were going to have a wedding. I prepared myself for harsh criticism. I didn’t speak up for 13 years, and in a way, I feel like that was cowardly.”

In a surprising moment, Kim Tae Woo revealed that his own first child shares the same birthday as KCM’s first daughter. Host Park Kyung Lim added, “Can you imagine how KCM must have felt seeing you show pictures of your child?” Kim Tae Woo admitted, “Thinking about it now, I regret getting angry at the time.”

Now that everything is out in the open, KCM said he finally feels he can embrace his family without shame. “Every day feels exciting now,” he shared.

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