Trot Queen Joo Hyun-mi Reveals Deepest Life Regret: 'My Biggest Mistake Was Long-Distance Parenting'

Trot icon Joo Hyun-mi is set to share intimate details of her life, including her most significant regret, on the upcoming episode of Channel A's 'Bestie Documentary - A Table for Four'.

During the show, Joo Hyun-mi expressed her gratitude towards singer Kim Beom-ryong, who composed all three songs for her 40th-anniversary album. In response, Kim Beom-ryong surprised viewers and MC Park Kyung-lim by performing a spontaneous duet of the title track 'Yeonjeong' with a guitar accompaniment.

Joo Hyun-mi will also unveil the untold story of her transition from being a pharmacist to a celebrated singer. She revealed that after graduating college, she felt responsible for her family's finances and opened a pharmacy with her mother's 'gyetdon' (community savings fund). However, due to her strict adherence to principles, business was slow. It was during this period that she received an unexpected offer to record 'Ssangssang Party'. The song's massive success, which dominated the 'gilboard' charts (analog cassette tapes sold on streets), led her to pursue singing professionally to support her family, earning three million won per stage compared to the pharmacy's one million won monthly revenue. She confessed, "I still have nightmares about running the pharmacy" when recalling the days it was decorated only with empty bottles due to lack of funds.

Furthermore, Kim Beom-ryong will exclusively reveal Joo Hyun-mi's love story, which began during her US tour 39 years ago. Joo Hyun-mi shared that her romance with her future husband, a member of Cho Yong-pil's band 'The Great Birth', blossomed during the tour. While her colleagues were aware of their budding relationship and kept it a secret, Kim Beom-ryong admitted to misleading Joo Hyun-mi about a planned meeting, telling her he was sick after receiving a message from Cho Yong-pil's manager not to attend. Joo Hyun-mi, realizing the truth after 39 years, expressed her gratitude for his discretion.

Looking back at her seven-year hiatus in the mid-90s, Joo Hyun-mi described it as 'the prime of my life'. She cherished the moments spent living in the countryside with her children in Cheonggyesan, finding immense happiness in watching them play. She also provided an update on her two children: her eldest son, a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and her second daughter, who is active with the indie band 'OABE'. In stark contrast, Kim Beom-ryong expressed deep regret over his decade-long experience as a 'long-distance father' while his children were young, lamenting the lack of time spent with them, which drew sympathy from his close friends.

Don't miss this heartfelt journey through Joo Hyun-mi's life on 'Bestie Documentary - A Table for Four', airing every Monday at 8:10 PM KST on Channel A.

Netizens reacted with enthusiasm to the preview, commenting, "Joo Hyun-mi, always cheering you on!", "Looking forward to the duet with composer Kim Beom-ryong!", and "I can relate to the pain of long-distance parenting."