'Late Kim Su-mi's daughter-in-law' Seo Hyo-rim: 'I feared people would say I was selling kimchi off my mother's name'

Actor Seo Hyo-rim has opened up about her decision to take over the kimchi business of her late mother-in-law, Kim Su-mi.

On Friday, Seo appeared on the YouTube channel Jeonghyedeurim and said she spent about a year wrestling with the decision before relaunching the business.

"Various things happened while my mother was still alive, including a management dispute, and after she passed it felt natural to put the business on hold," Seo said. "Even when people around me encouraged me to restart, I was afraid others would see it as selling kimchi off my late mother's name, so it took me a long time to feel ready."

She said a change in perspective ultimately gave her the confidence to move forward. "I came to think of it as carrying on my mother's kimchi and her warmth as her daughter-in-law, and that made me feel proud," she said. She added that she broke down in tears during a final taste test before sales began. "When I tasted the kimchi, it felt like my mother had come to my side."

Seo married Kim's son, Jung Myung-ho, in 2019, and the couple have a daughter. Kim Su-mi died in October 2024. Beyond her acting career, Kim was also known for her exceptional cooking skills and ran businesses selling kimchi and marinated crab.