Born in 1988, actress Lee Mi-so, now known as Lee Ru-an, made her debut in 2002 with the film Season in the Sun. Over the years, she took on various supporting and minor roles in films like You Are My Sunshine, The Legendary Courtesan Hwang Jin Yi, Cyrano Agency, My P.S. Partner, A Man and A Woman, and The Merciless, as well as dramas like Byul Soon Geom, Reply 1994, The Superman Age, and Return.
However, her career was interrupted due to a dramatic family history and the political controversies surrounding her biological mother, a well-known public figure. In 2022, she re-emerged on Channel A’s reality show “Battle for Tenancy: Penthouse”, announcing she had legally changed her name to Lee Ru-an. She explained, “I felt my career as Lee Mi-so had been tainted. I changed my name as a way to start over.”
After her final film appearance in Kill Bok Soon in March 2023, Lee disappeared from the spotlight—only for news to break in June of that year that she had secretly married in the United States. The revelation sparked controversy after her celebrity mother appeared on YouTube crying and claiming she was unaware of the marriage.
It was later revealed the two had been estranged since 2020.
Their troubled relationship was publicly acknowledged back in 2012 when they appeared together on SBS's “Strong Heart.” Even then, Lee hinted at deep resentment, stating, “Because of my mother’s frequent controversies, my name often came up. During school, I was bullied due to her drug record.” She also openly urged her mother to stop making political statements and speaking publicly, saying it put her at risk.
When her mother was involved in a political scandal in 2018, Lee said, “I hate being in the spotlight. My very birth was a controversy, so I’ve always wanted to live quietly. I still resent her, but I hope the drama ends—for both our sakes.”
Following her daughter’s wedding, her mother gave an emotional interview, revealing, “She refused to take my calls. I don’t even know the man she married. As a mother—even though we’re estranged—I worry she may have been deceived.”
Entertainment sources confirmed the marriage, stating that Lee has no intention of returning to the industry, as she wishes to live a private, non-celebrity life.
Later, her mother posted a YouTube video, revealing that she had finally spoken with Lee, but the conversation left her shattered. “She told me she married a rich, educated man from a good family. She said she had to keep it secret because she was ashamed of me, and his family didn’t want me there.”
Breaking into tears, she added, “She yelled at me, told me to ‘just die,’ said she was ashamed, and threatened to sue me if I revealed her marriage or showed up at her house.”
She concluded with a heartbreaking declaration: “I’m speaking out despite her threats because I feel like I’m going to explode. Lee Ru-an, don’t come looking for me anymore. Erase me from your family registry. I don’t want to be associated with you in any way.”
The deeply fractured mother-daughter relationship has shocked netizens. Online reactions were mixed: “If your mother is Kim Bu-seon, it’s understandable,” one wrote, while another commented, “I also had a bad relationship with my mom, but we made peace through conversation. They’re still family—I hope they find a way to resolve it.”
As the story unfolds, public interest in the fate of this estranged celebrity family only continues to grow.
Sources: Daum
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