Culinary researcher Lee Hye-jung has opened up about her relationship with her son, candidly sharing deep regret and complex emotions as a mother. Rather than assigning blame, she turns the focus inward, reflecting on her own role.

In a video released on July 7 on her YouTube channel Big Mama Lee Hye-jung, Lee visited a shaman to ask about her fortunes for 2026. The topic she cautiously brought up was her relationship with her son. “I raised him as my whole world, like a precious jewel,” she said, adding, “yet we keep clashing, and reconciliation feels impossible.”

Lee did not shy away from acknowledging her past behavior. She revealed that she had apologized to her son, telling him, “I was a mother who didn’t know how to educate,” while expressing sadness that his heart has not easily softened. She admitted that her love may at times have come across as pressure or control.

Although the shaman’s advice was blunt, Lee did not respond defensively. When told that she may have vented frustrations from in-law conflicts onto her son, she admitted, “I did take it out on him.” It was a moment of recognizing how words meant “for your own good” could become judgment and hurt.

Her question, “Do I have to live like this?” reflected not resentment but a deep longing for reconciliation. The suggestion that both sides take a step back prompted Lee to reconsider her own mindset, even as she lightened the mood with humor.

Lee recently revealed on a television program that she had been virtually estranged from her son. She said she was hurt by his cold response after helping with his business and chose to keep her distance, communicating mainly with her daughter-in-law. However, she also shared that her son later came to her home to apologize, suggesting the relationship is not beyond repair.

In this video, Lee Hye-jung does not frame parental conflict as fate or the other party’s fault. Instead, she asks herself what a parent must let go of and what must be learned. Beyond the image of a strong or devoted mother, she appears as a wounded yet evolving adult, leaving a quiet resonance for many parents watching.