Webtoon artist and broadcaster Kian84 (real name Kim Hee Min) has stirred controversy with a comment in a YouTube video, saying, “A wife who doesn’t prepare breakfast for her husband might cheat on him.”
On January 16, Kian84 uploaded a video titled 'A Day in My Sister-in-Law's Life' on his YouTube channel, 'Life84.' The video followed Kian84 accompanying actress Seo Ji Seung, the wife of actor Lee Si Eon, on her way to work, engaging in casual conversation.
In the video, Kian84 and Seo Ji Seung discussed the topic of “breakfast.” When Seo Ji Seung mentioned that she prepares breakfast for her husband, Kian84 expressed admiration. Seo Ji Seung then asked if Kian84 had any romanticized expectations about breakfast after marriage. He replied, “Men are obsessed with breakfast, not because of the meal itself, but because it makes them feel protected and cared for by their wives.”
Kian84 added, “If a wife doesn’t make breakfast, wouldn’t she end up at the swimming pool and cheat with a muscular young man, or at the gym with a younger trainer?” When Seo, shocked by the comment, asked if he had witnessed such cases, Kian84 responded hesitantly, “I’ve seen a lot of troubling articles online.”
The remarks quickly spread across online communities, drawing widespread criticism. Netizens criticized Kian84 and commented, “What kind of logic is that? Skipping breakfast leads to cheating?” "I understand that he has a fantasy about marriage and he wants his wife to make breakfast but it's so weird to think his wife would be cheating if she doesn't make him breakfast..." "This is why he can't get married," "It's so fascinating how he manages to continue to appear on television despite all his controversies," "He continues to remind people what type of person he is," and “This perpetuates the outdated notion that wives are obligated to prepare meals.”
Some questioned if Kian84 was essentially saying he needed a housekeeper. However, others defended him, arguing, “It’s just a creative exaggeration from a cartoonist,” "I guess he wants a full-time wife. I don't think it's a problem if the wife stays at home all the time," and “It’s just an opinion—why make it a big deal?”
This isn’t the first time Kian84 has faced backlash. In 2020, his webtoon 'Bok Hak Wang' drew accusations of misogyny. A petition on the Blue House website demanded the series’ cancellation, criticizing a scene where a female protagonist secures a job at a major company by engaging in a sexual relationship with a team leader 20 years her senior. Following the outcry, Kian84 issued an apology, stating, “I’m sorry for causing concern with inappropriate depictions in my work.”
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