Lee Seung-gi Picks Family Over Finals as Second Child Nears Arrival

Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi says he may sit out the championship round of KBS2's "Immortal Songs" to stay with his wife, actress Lee Da-in, as she prepares to give birth to the couple's second child.

The comment came during the second part of the show's Kim Do-hoon special, which aired Thursday on KBS2. Lee had won the first part of the special and returned to talk through what went into his performance.

"I think this is one of the top three most nervous I've ever been on stage since my debut," Lee said. "My hands went numb. I was intimidated performing in front of the original composer. I'm just glad I sang it the way I'd prepared."

Fellow singer Lee Chan-won congratulated him and said the win would be a nice gift for the baby on the way. When Lee Chan-won asked when the due date was, Lee Seung-gi answered, "Somewhere around July." Told that the show's grand champion round is also scheduled for July, he paused and said, "Then I might not be able to make it."

"How am I supposed to go on when my wife is giving birth," Lee said, making clear where his priorities are.

Comedian Kim Jun-hyun said his own show's grand finals fall around July or August. Lee shot back by plugging his own concert in October. "If I can't make the grand champion round, you should come to the concert instead," he said, drawing laughs from the room.

Lee married Lee Da-in in 2023. The couple welcomed their first daughter the following year and announced in February that they were expecting their second child. The two are said to be focused on prenatal care as the due date approaches.

The exchange on "Immortal Songs" was a small moment, but it captured something audiences have warmed to in Lee's recent appearances: a top-tier entertainer who is unusually direct about putting family first, even on the country's biggest variety stages.