Is Late Marriage the New Trend? ‘조선의 사랑꾼’ Couples Share Their Journey to Parenthood

Daniel Kim 2026.02.11 Views

Love Seekers of Joseon / Photo=TV CHOSUN capture

[Sports Today Reporter Jung Yewon] On ‘Love Seekers of Joseon’, couples Shim Hyun-seop, Yoon Jung-soo, and Bae Ki-sung headed to a traditional Korean medicine clinic in Gyeongju, known as a ‘fertility sanctuary’, with fervent hopes for a second child. According to Nielsen Korea, the show recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 3.7%, with a peak minute-by-minute rating of 4.0%, securing the top spot in entertainment show ratings for its time slot.

In the TV CHOSUN hyper-realistic documentary entertainment show ‘Love Seekers of Joseon’ that aired on the 9th, newly joined love seekers Bae Ki-sung and Lee Eun-bi shared their story. From their chance first meeting at a bar to their three years of dating and nine years of marriage without children, they opened up about their journey. Lee Eun-bi, 12 years younger than her husband, expressed her deep affection, saying she wished they had met earlier to create more memories together and that she was curious about what her husband was like in his younger days. That day, along with the Bae Ki-sung couple, Shim Hyun-seop, Jung Young-rim, Yoon Jung-soo, and Won Jin-seo, who formed the ‘Jujube Tree Love Special Forces’, headed to Gyeongju for their second child.

Bae Ki-sung added words of encouragement to the common point of the three couples who married later in life, saying, “Since we met late, we need to live more intensively. We should live better, meet more, and enjoy more.” Then, Shim Hyun-seop fired the starting gun for some risqué couple talk, mentioning he didn’t know legs could go up so high after making love. Hwang Bo-ra, watching through VCR, was shocked, exclaiming, “Why are they talking about such things? How embarrassing!” However, even Hwang Bo-ra shared a behind-the-scenes story from her pregnancy preparation period, saying her husband was going crazy. “We were afraid it wouldn’t happen… so we immediately started IVF,” she revealed.

The first stop for the Jujube Tree Love Special Forces was Dolhalmae Park. The ‘Wish Rock’, Dolhalmae, is said to grant wishes if it feels heavier after making a wish than before. Coincidentally, the Shim Hyun-seop couple, who had just finished embryo transfer, earnestly made their wish there. Jung Young-rim looked at Shim Hyun-seop with a hopeful face, saying, “The second time, it really didn’t lift.” Shim Hyun-seop warmed hearts by saying, “I wished for ‘Please help with what Young-rim wants.'” The Yoon Jung-soo and Bae Ki-sung couples, also hoping for a child, felt the same weightiness and held onto hope.

Meanwhile, after devouring eel, known to boost virility, for dinner, the Jujube Tree Love Special Forces heated up the atmosphere again with talks about having children. From a friend’s story about conceiving on a car hood to Bae Ki-sung’s concerns about his wife’s IVF treatment, the conversation flowed. Shim Hyun-seop joked about wanting to grab Bae Ki-sung’s nose for good luck, like a Dol Hareubang statue’s, but also revealed that he initially didn’t want children because he’d be 70 when the child turned 13, thinking of his father who passed away early. Yoon Jung-soo offered comforting words about late parenthood, sharing, “I grew up without a father, and my mother was unwell. Life just happens.” However, a sudden situation arose when Jung Young-rim experienced unexpected bleeding. Shim Hyun-seop rushed to find a convenience store for his wife, and a phone call with the hospital reassured Jung Young-rim, suggesting the bleeding could be ‘implantation bleeding’.

Finally, on the recommendation of the Jang Hang-jun couple, they visited a traditional Korean medicine clinic known as a ‘sanctuary for infertile couples’, which Hwang Bo-ra had also visited. Bae Ki-sung’s wife, Lee Eun-bi, bombarded the doctor with overly candid questions about their intimate life, including frequency and preparation, causing Bae Ki-sung to blush furiously, eliciting laughter. The love-seeking MCs in the studio also chimed in with various opinions, but the clear answers from the traditional doctor left Lee Eun-bi looking noticeably brighter as she left the room. Bae Ki-sung shared his experience with the other two couples waiting outside, saying he thought they were going to get sex education in there. The high-level talk about marital relations continued endlessly. Choi Sung-kook nodded, remarking, “When you gather couples together, the conversation really flows without restraint.”

‘Love Seekers of Joseon’ airs every Monday at 10 PM.