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Actor Lee Si-young splits public opinion over long-distance Harley ride while pregnant

Published: 03 Aug. 2025, 14:19

Pictures of actor Lee Si-young's long-distance motorcycle tour posted on her Instagram account on Aug. 1 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Fans of actor Lee Si-young became divided over her decision to complete a long-distance motorcycle tour during her already-divisive pregnancy with her second child.

“I finally did a 200-kilometer [124-mile] tour to Long Island,” Lee wrote on Instagram on Friday. “I never imagined I’d be doing a long-distance tour at nearly seven months pregnant, but riding a Harley as part of prenatal bonding has been wonderful.”

She also shared photos of herself riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

“It was my first long-distance ride, so I was nervous — and when it started raining and my jeans got completely soaked, I really considered stopping,” she wrote. “But I’m so glad I finished it. The weather cleared up, and I crossed mountains, rivers and even the sea to complete the 200-kilometer ride.”

The post sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some users commented, “This is the first time I’ve heard of bonding with a baby via motorcycle,” and “I’m a rider too, but this is way too dangerous,” while others said, “She must have been careful enough,” and “Mothers are strong — that’s amazing.”

Actor Lee Si-young poses on the red carpet for the Korea Gold Awards Festival in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Nov. 18, 2024. [NEWS1]

Lee married a restaurateur nine years her senior in 2017 and has a son. Earlier this year, she revealed that she and her husband had separated after eight years of marriage and were in the process of divorce.

Last month, however, she announced that she became pregnant with her second child after choosing to implant an embryo previously frozen during their marriage through in vitro fertilization (IVF). She said the decision was made independently and without her ex-husband’s consent, leading to arguments among fans and even attorneys.

“At the time, we were preparing for a second child through IVF, but a long time passed without transferring the embryo,” Lee said. “Just as all legal matters between us were being resolved, the five-year storage period for the frozen embryo was about to expire.”

“I had always wanted another child, and I simply couldn’t bring myself to discard an embryo that had been kept for so long,” she said. “Although the other party did not agree, I am fully prepared to take responsibility for my decision.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [[email protected]]