Ji Yeon Soo Highlights Child Support Strain After Revealing Payment From Former U-KISS Member Eli

TV personality Ji Yeon Soo has put child support back at the center of public discussion after speaking candidly about the payment she says she receives from former U-KISS member Eli. In a new video uploaded on June 29, 2026, Korean time, Ji addressed stories from single mothers and used the moment to explain why child support should be understood as a child’s right rather than a favor to a former spouse.

The discussion drew attention because Ji connected a broader social issue to her own experience after divorce. She and Eli married in 2014, welcomed their son in 2016, and divorced in 2020. Since then, Ji has spoken publicly about single motherhood, rebuilding daily life, and navigating a complicated relationship with her former husband, who has since remarried.

In the video, Ji responded to a story about an ex-husband who was allegedly late with child support while displaying luxury purchases online. Her answer was direct: child support, she said, is money used to raise a child as they grow. She argued that some former spouses wrongly frame the payment as money being handed to an ex-wife, when the purpose is to cover ordinary costs tied to the child.

Why The Amount Became Part Of The Debate

Ji then discussed Korea’s child support calculation standards, saying the official table does not fully reflect current living costs. Prices have continued to rise, she said, but the reference amounts used to calculate support have not kept pace with the real expenses of raising a child. That point turned the video from a celebrity update into a wider comment on how single parents experience financial pressure.

Ji revealed that she receives ₩850,000 KRW per month from Eli, an amount reported at roughly $554 USD. She also noted that the minimum child support figure for the youngest children is ₩640,000 KRW, or about $417 USD, and said support is supposed to continue until a child graduates from high school. Her framing suggested that even payments above the lowest amount may still feel limited when measured against housing, food, education, transportation, clothing, and medical needs.

The video also acknowledged a harsher reality: some parents receive no child support at all. When that point came up, Ji said that living with no expectations can become a way to survive emotionally. Rather than waiting and repeatedly being disappointed, she said it may be healthier to focus on finding work and maintaining stability. The comment was blunt, but it reflected the exhaustion many single parents describe when support is inconsistent or insufficient.

A Celebrity Story With A Wider Social Context

Because Eli is a former idol, the remarks quickly circulated through K-pop and Korean entertainment spaces. But the core issue is not limited to celebrity divorce. Ji’s comments resonated because they described the everyday math behind raising a child after separation. Child support is often discussed as a private dispute between adults, yet the money is meant to follow the needs of the child.

That distinction is why the video has generated strong reactions. Fans and viewers may recognize the names involved, but the underlying question is familiar to many families: how should responsibility be shared after a relationship ends, and what happens when the official support framework does not match the cost of living? Ji’s comments did not present a full legal case, but they did make the emotional and practical stakes easier to understand.

The story also shows how former idols and their families remain part of public conversation long after promotions end. Eli’s career with U-KISS brought him into the entertainment spotlight, while his marriage, divorce, and remarriage have continued to attract attention. Ji, meanwhile, has built a public identity around speaking plainly about life after divorce and the realities of single parenthood.

For readers following the entertainment angle, the headline may be the amount Ji says she receives each month. For parents watching the discussion, the larger point may be her insistence that child support is not optional generosity. It is part of the shared responsibility that remains after divorce, and it is tied to the daily costs of a child who still needs care, stability, and time.

Ji Yeon Soo’s video does not end the debate over what amount is fair or how support should be enforced. It does, however, explain why the topic continues to provoke strong feelings. When a public figure describes the gap between formal calculations and real household expenses, a private family issue can become a broader conversation about law, parenting, and what children are owed.