Cha In Pyo Personally Clarifies Controversy About His Wife's Education

Actor Cha In Pyo has taken to social media to defend his wife, actress Shin Ae Ra, about a recent controversy surrounding her educational background.

Shin Ae Ra’s appearance on the September 23 episode of SBS’s “Master in the House” was filmed in the United States, where she is taking a doctorate course in counseling and psychology. However, after the broadcast, some members of the Korean-American community became suspicious that the university she was attending (HIS University) was not a formally accredited school.

When netizens began commenting on Cha In Pyo’s social media about the issue, he replied to their questions. He wrote, “Even though it’s not true, there was no reason for me to reply. But since you ask, I will answer. The university that my wife attends, HIS University, has been authorized by the California state government, and they are in the process of acquiring their federal government approval as well.”

He continued, “People are spreading rumors that my wife will work as a professor in Korea after getting a degree from a school that has only been authorized by the California state government. If I had to reply to those people, I would say that my wife has no intention of becoming a professor. Not only does she think that she is lacking in many areas, she does not even like to teach as an occupation.”

He also wrote, “My wife started working from her first year of college and neglected her studies. In her later years, she wanted to get an education and found it interesting enough to keep going. I could say whatever I wanted, but the proof is in watching what we do. When Shin Ae Ra returns to Korea, she intends to keep doing the charity work she had done before.”

Cha In Pyo and Shin Ae Ra are both well-known for their philanthropic efforts, actively volunteering at orphanages and making donations to campaigns in support of underprivileged children. One of the issues to which they try to bring attention is adoption, and the couple has adopted two children of their own.

Their children have also become a source of speculation among netizens, who accused Shin Ae Ra of attending school in the United States just to get a visa for her children’s education. Cha In Pyo addressed this issue as well, writing, “My wife is in the United States as an international student, and it is true that my daughters have the official status of a child of an international student. But we are not seeking international student status so that our children can get a free education. My daughters go to a private Christian school, and my son to a private university.”

He added, “I have no intention of getting permanent residency in the United States, and once Shin Ae Ra finishes her studies next year, we will all return to Korea. So please don’t misunderstand and say that her education is for a visa.”

He concluded, “My wife’s school is small and nothing to look at. However, I am very proud of my wife for pursuing an education and learning new things. I am proud of her and the reputation or size of the school doesn’t matter to me. As public entertainers, we as a couple are sorry about not communicating better with the public.”

Note: Cha In Pyo’s original statement has been condensed here for clarity and length. 

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