Husband wanted to wear soccer jersey to in-laws' on Chuseok — wife was having none of it

A man's plan to visit his parents in a soccer jersey on Chuseok sparked a domestic dispute after his wife put her foot down.

The story of a man in his 40s, identified only as A, who clashed with his wife over his choice of outfit, was recently featured on JTBC's "Sageon Banjang," a TV current-affairs program.

A said his parents live about a 30-minute drive away and that he visits them often. He added that the family does not hold a formal ancestral rite or gather extended relatives for the holiday — just a casual meal with his parents.

On Chuseok, he tried to leave the house in a soccer jersey he normally wears for comfort, but his wife was horrified and demanded he change immediately.

A argued that the jersey's stretchy fabric meant he could eat a big holiday meal without feeling constricted. His wife was unmoved. "Even if you're close with them, it is not proper for the eldest son to visit his parents wearing a soccer jersey," she said. "If your parents see it, they'll think I said nothing and let you go like that — and I'll get the blame. Change right now."

Faced with his wife's firm opposition, A ultimately changed into different clothes before making the visit.

"We're on such casual terms that I speak informally with my parents," he said. "It's not like I'm going to my in-laws' — my parents wouldn't care at all. I just don't understand why my wife is making such a fuss."

Park Sang-hee, a psychology professor who reviewed the story, said that while the short distance might make the visit feel routine, the holiday calls for a degree of decorum. "Even if no one else is watching, the etiquette and formality of a holiday should be observed even among the closest family members," she said.

Attorney Park Ji-hoon agreed. "The wife was simply asking him to observe basic courtesy," he said. "Wearing a jersey on a holiday is not appropriate."

Attorney Son Su-ho offered a dissenting view, noting that soccer jerseys have become expensive, stylish fashion items. "For people who love soccer, wearing one can be its own kind of formality," he said.