On the latest episode of SBS’s variety show My Little Old Boy, broadcaster Lee Sang-min openly shared the emotional process of undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with his wife, who is ten years his junior, as the couple faced a difficult outcome.

Aired on July 6, the program followed Lee Sang-min and his wife as they visited a fertility clinic to receive the results of their IVF treatment. Holding his wife’s hand tightly, Lee appeared visibly tense. Hosts Shin Dong-yup and Seo Jang-hoon remarked on meeting Lee’s wife for the first time, with Seo noting that even close acquaintances hadn’t seen her as the couple had forgone a wedding ceremony.

Throughout the broadcast, Lee’s wife affectionately asked, “When will you propose?” Lee revealed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you for being the one to suggest we try IVF.” She responded, “I wanted to give IVF at least one try before we take wedding photos.”

After undergoing a medical consultation for conception, the doctor explained that if the IVF attempt was successful, there was a chance the couple could conceive twins. While Lee, who previously received poor results from a sperm test, expressed concern, the doctor reassured him that his sperm count had improved.

However, the first round of IVF unfortunately failed. The doctor explained, “Your blood test level is 0.2. For a pregnancy to be possible, it needs to be above 50. Sadly, this attempt was not successful.”

Lee’s wife shared her experience, saying, “I researched online and saw that certain symptoms are common. After the embryo transfer, I was sensitive and even slight contact with my chest was painful, but after a few days, it suddenly felt like everything was back to normal.”

Concerned, Lee asked if his wife wanted to continue the process. She answered confidently, “I want to keep going—I've made up my mind.” The doctor advised them to rest for about a month before another attempt, adding words of encouragement: “Even if the results aren’t good at first, I’ve seen many couples who finally succeed after trying repeatedly.”

After the consultation, Lee’s wife, visibly emotional, said tearily, “I feel like I’m too old.” Lee comforted her, replying, “You don’t even look like you’re in your early 30s.”

Lee also expressed deep gratitude for his wife’s support: “She was the first to say, ‘Let’s register our marriage and try for a child.’ I was so thankful for that. My sperm and your egg met, and we got as far as fertilization. All that’s left is implantation. For our age, I’m grateful that we’ve even made it this far.”

Lee Sang-min and his wife officially registered their marriage at Gangnam District Office in Seoul on April 30, becoming a legal couple without a wedding ceremony. The two first met through business meetings and married roughly three months later.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=MHN DB, SBS My Little Old Boy, Lee Sang-min SNS