Song Joong-ki sparks outrage with controversial comments on parenthood and careers

Actor Song Joong-ki, who recently welcomed a baby boy, stirred up controversy with his comments on parenthood and careers during an interview with Sina in China.

“Your movie premiered at Cannes, while your baby is on the way. The Chinese have this saying, ‘a double harvest in work and family life.’ What do you think about the relationship between the two?” the interviewer asked. 

Song Joong-ki then replied in broken English: “Sometimes, being a father, being a husband, that means [losing jobs] in show business. Being a father and having a baby, and a marriage with a woman, in this business, sometimes, it looks like [I’m] losing my job more and more.”

The remarks were swiftly met with backlash, as many found them insensitive and perpetuating gender biases. In South Korea, it is commonly believed that women's work efficiency declines after starting a family or getting married, while men are often rewarded with promotions. Song Joong Ki's comments were seen as dismissive of the challenges faced by women in the workforce.

Comments from netizens include: 

“Did he give birth?” 

“The fact that it’s a male actor saying this, not even a female actor LOL. Even if his [fanbase] drops, his jobs won’t be affected.” 

“But so many actors who have gotten married are still able to promote just fine, there are also lots of them who are still just as popular. You just need to be a good actor. What is he saying?”

Some Twitter users even brought up his ex-wife Song Hye-kyo, pointing out that their public divorce affected her career more. 

Song Joong-ki and his agency have yet to address this latest controversy.