Son Ye-jin defends herself after co-star Lee Byung-hun's jab at her parenting skills: 'I needed to stay focused...'

Actor Lee Byung-hun thought he was sharing a playful behind-the-scenes moment about Son Ye-jn at the press event for their upcoming film No Other Choice. Instead, the comment snowballed into online chatter about her personality — and not all of it kind.

But before things went too far, the mother of child actress Choi So Yul, who worked alongside the stars stepped in. She took to social media on August 24 to set the record straight, saying, “It was also surprising for us. It was actually a fun, lighthearted anecdote he shared jokingly, but we also feel it’s a bit unfair how it’s been blown out of proportion. One day we’ll get the chance to share the full story. What’s true is that she was always very kind.”

The mom also shared an anecdote that showed Son Ye Jin’s softer side: she tracked down a hard-to-find toy, an Aurora Ping, as a gift for Choi So Yul — something “even Santa couldn’t find.” “It was the best Christmas present ever,” she added.

The fuss began on August 19 during the film’s press conference, when Son Ye Jin spoke about motherhood influencing her role: “Becoming a mother in real life has really helped me portray this character.” Lee Byung-hun playfully interjected, “That’s not quite what I saw on set.”

He went on to explain, “The young actress playing my daughter asked me so many questions, and I would keep answering until suddenly the camera would roll and I was caught off guard. But Son Ye-jin never answered her once. So I asked her, ‘Can’t you answer her sometimes?’ and she said, ‘Sunbae, you handle it for me.’ Hearing her comments today, though, I realize she really was cherishing the moment in her own way.”

Son Ye-jin later clarified, “The child actress was full of curiosity and had a lot of questions, but since I had many emotional lines and detailed direction to follow from the director, I needed to stay focused.”

While most laughed at the exchange, a wave of online comments turned critical, questioning her behaviour. That’s when Choi So-yul’s mother came forward to put things in perspective, cooling down the debate.

No Other Choice is set to premiere this September in Korea and has been invited to the main competition at the Venice International Film Festival.