Hair in Red Bean Porridge and Physical Assault: 21 Years of Mental Health In-Law Hell

The story of a woman who has endured continuous harassment from her mother-in-law and sister-in-law throughout her 21-year marriage has been revealed. In the "Mental Health In-Law Hell" special of the 30th episode of SBS Plus's "Lee Ho-sun's Cider," which aired on the 25th, the story of Ms. A was featured—a woman who suffered from depression and even attempted suicide due to the harsh treatment from her in-laws that began early in her marriage.

Marriage Against Parental Opposition and the Onset of Discrimination

Ms. A married her current husband despite her parents' opposition. However, once her mother-in-law learned that her own family had opposed the marriage, she began to look down on Ms. A and started the harassment.

The mother-in-law's attitude shifted drastically depending on whether her son was present. When her husband was around, she would act affectionately, saying things like, "Have some fruit." But the moment he left, her demeanor changed completely. She would frequently belittle her, saying, "Do you think you can just eat just because I told you to? Do you even deserve to eat this?" In fact, it was common for her fruit to be snatched away while her husband was out of the room.

Hair in Red Bean Porridge on Winter Solstice and Verbal Abuse During Breastfeeding

Shocking incidents continued even on the Winter Solstice. While eating red bean porridge at her in-laws' house, Ms. A discovered a clump of black hair in her bowl. She felt that her mother-in-law had intentionally put her hair in the food, but each time, her husband turned a blind eye and ignored it.

The verbal abuse persisted even while she was breastfeeding after giving birth to her second child. When Ms. A called for her husband, the mother-in-law snapped at her, saying, "You've just gotten fat; how dare you call your husband like that?" At that moment, the sister-in-law joined in, adding to the psychological torment of the mother and daughter by saying, "Mom, you sure have a way with insults." Ms. A expressed how sorrowful and terrifying it was to be mocked so blatantly right in front of her.

Physical Assault During the Father-in-Law's Encoffining Ceremony and the Husband's Negligence

The suffering Ms. A endured escalated from verbal abuse to physical violence. This occurred about five years ago at her father-in-law's funeral. During the encoffining ceremony, the mother-in-law physically assaulted Ms. A by pulling her left arm backward as if to twist it and striking her on the back multiple times.

Ms. A even searched for CCTV footage to prove the situation, but she could not secure evidence as no footage remained. Even in this situation, rather than believing his wife, the husband was preoccupied with defending his mother, saying, "Mother is not the type of person to do that."

Demands for Holiday Food and the Sister-in-Law's Defiance

There were also grievances that repeated every holiday. Every holiday, Ms. A personally prepared food even for her youngest sister-in-law to take, but instead of being grateful, the sister-in-law only made more demands for additional food.

When Ms. A expressed a desire to cut ties with her in-laws, the sister-in-law actually scolded her. Dismissing Ms. A's wishes, the sister-in-law said, "Don't try to drive a wedge between my brother and us. If you divorce, it's over for you, but we are family." This long-term abuse eventually drove Ms. A into extreme depression and led to the level of pain that prompted her suicide attempt.

Lee Ho-sun's Advice and the Husband's Belated Promise

Upon hearing Ms. A's story in the studio, Lee Ho-sun pointed out that the woman had been so deeply wounded that she could vividly remember events from a very long time ago. Lee emphasized to the husband, "Rather than questioning the facts, it is more important to first empathize with how much your wife has suffered." She went on to advise, "When the topic of in-laws comes up, you must unconditionally take your wife's side without question or argument."

The husband, who had ignored his wife's pleas until now, offered a sincere message in the studio. He said, "You've had a hard time, haven't you? From now on, I won't be on 'their' side, but I will be on your side. Let's live the rest of our lives happily together." Upon hearing this, Ms. A burst into tears she had been holding back, and MC Kim Ji-min, watching this, also became tearful. Lee Ho-sun offered comfort to the guest, saying, "Your husband will keep his promise. So don't cry, and from now on, live with a smile."