Actor Baek Il-seop reveals 40-year marriage ended due to societal pressure, discusses loneliness

Veteran actor Baek Il-seop has opened up about his decision to pursue 'jholhon,' a voluntary separation of married life, after 40 years of marriage. Appearing on the SBS show 'My Little Old Boy,' Baek shared the profound reasons behind his choice and the subsequent feelings of loneliness he experiences living alone.

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If you find someone, do it. Since you're getting older, if you date a bit and feel comfortable living together, then you can do it.

When asked by fellow actor Lim Won-hee, who is 11 years into his own jholhon, whether remarriage or living alone is preferable, Baek responded positively to the idea of finding new companionship. "If you find someone, do it. Since you're getting older, if you date a bit and feel comfortable living together, then you can do it," he advised. He humorously dismissed the notion of marriage being a point of pride, particularly for those who remain unmarried.

Baek revealed that during his marriage, he constantly harbored a desire to escape. "I lived with the sole desire to get away," he recalled. He explained that societal pressures and the fear of gossip, such as people saying, 'He drank and wandered around, and now he's divorced,' or 'He won't last long,' led him to endure the situation for 40 years. This prolonged suppression of his emotions, however, led to a growing inner turmoil that affected his work.

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I lived with the sole desire to get away. I had my pride, and I didn't like people saying, 'He drank and wandered around, and now he's divorced,' or 'He won't last long.' I endured for 40 years to avoid hearing such things.

"I kept having these knots in my heart, and my work wasn't going well," Baek confessed. "One day, I just said, 'I'm leaving,' and walked out of the house." He also candidly discussed the loneliness that accompanies the freedom of living alone. Describing his solitary life as feeling like he's "on an overnight stay after smearing the house with saliva," he acknowledged that "inevitably, at the end of life, one feels lonely and desolate."

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I kept having these knots in my heart, and my work wasn't going well. One day, I just said, 'I'm leaving,' and walked out of the house.

His reflections extended to missing departed colleagues. He reminisced about his younger days with actors like Park Geun-hyung, Lee Soon-jae, and Kim Yong-gun, recalling nights spent at nightclubs. He particularly remembered the late Lee Soon-jae, who would often join them despite not drinking. "When we went out to play, he'd tag along and play with us," Baek said. When asked when he misses his friends the most, Baek replied, "I miss them always." He added, "As the friends I was close to pass away one by one, I suddenly feel like it's my turn. That's why I think I feel more desolate and lonely."

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Inevitably, at the end of life, one feels lonely and desolate.