Cho Seong-hyun is best known in Korea for his marriage to actress Lee Si-young, but he has a bigger tale. Cho developed profitable culinary enterprises and restaurant concepts in the background, earning him a reputation as one of Seoul’s best operators.
His narrative is intriguing since it combines two very different worlds. Lee Si-young has spent years acting, appearing on variety shows, and cultivating an athletic image in the fast-paced Korean entertainment industry. On the other hand, Cho Seong-hyun built franchises, premium dining locations, and other restaurant operations with less publicity.
Many details regarding his childhood, parents, siblings, education, and early personal life are unknown due to his privacy. He is best known for his business and family relationship with Lee Si-young.
Basic Information About Cho Seong-hyun
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cho Seong-hyun |
| Korean name | 조승현 |
| Other romanizations | Jo Seung-hyun and similar variants |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Approximate birth period | Early to mid 1970s |
| Reported age in 2025 | Early 50s |
| Profession | Restaurant entrepreneur and businessman |
| Known for | Restaurant businesses and franchises |
| Former spouse | Lee Si-young |
| Marriage | September 2017 |
| Divorce | 2025 |
| Son | Cho Jung-yoon |
| Daughter | Born in November 2025 |
| Notable nickname | Little Baek Jong-won |
Because Cho is not an entertainment celebrity, his exact birth date has not been widely documented. Korean reports have generally described him as approximately nine years older than Lee Si-young, who was born on April 17, 1982. That places Cho’s birth somewhere around the early to mid 1970s.
A Restaurant Career Built Away From the Cameras
Cho Seong-hyun entered the restaurant industry in his 20s and gradually built a portfolio of businesses. His career illustrates a familiar but difficult path in Korea’s food service world: start with a workable concept, understand the customer, establish a recognizable identity, and then find ways to expand.
One of the businesses most closely associated with him is Yeongcheon Yeonghwa, a premium Korean beef restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul. The restaurant became known for Hanwoo beef, grilled meat, and dishes such as yukhoe bibimbap. Its location in Cheongdam also placed it close to the heart of Seoul’s entertainment and luxury dining scene.
Another business connected with Cho is Palchak Makchang, a makchang restaurant and franchise concept. Makchang, made from grilled beef or pork intestines, is deeply associated with Korean dining culture, and the franchise attracted attention as it expanded.
Cho has also been associated with Saladyoung, a salad business reportedly connected to Lee Si-young. His portfolio has included other restaurant concepts, meat businesses, and nightlife ventures such as rooftop bars.
His expansion strategy eventually earned him the nickname “Little Baek Jong-won,” a comparison to the hugely recognizable Korean restaurateur and food entrepreneur Baek Jong-won. The nickname was less about celebrity and more about Cho’s apparent ability to turn individual restaurant ideas into broader commercial operations.
Business Success and Real Estate
The restaurant industry can be unforgiving, but Cho Seong-hyun appears to have built considerable financial success through a combination of food businesses and property investments.
Reports during his marriage to Lee Si-young described substantial business revenues and valuable real estate holdings. Some earlier reports cited annual sales in the billions of Korean won for businesses associated with him, while other coverage focused on property transactions in Seoul.
Seongsu-dong was one area connected with his reported real estate activity. Properties there reportedly generated significant appreciation, reflecting the transformation of the neighborhood from an industrial district into one of Seoul’s most fashionable commercial and cultural areas.
The family was also associated with a high value apartment in Samsung-dong, Gangnam. Contemporary estimates placed its value around 25 billion Korean won or more.
Net worth figures surrounding Cho should be treated carefully. Different reports have presented different numbers, sometimes focusing only on personal or business assets and sometimes incorporating real estate. Some estimates around the divorce period placed his assets in the low billions of Korean won, while broader accounts suggested considerably greater wealth when property holdings were included.
The financial picture is therefore more like a mosaic than a single number. There is no universally verified public figure for his current net worth.
Marriage to Lee Si-young
Cho Seong-hyun married Lee Si-young in September 2017. Lee was a renowned actress with an action career and amateur boxing, so her marriage garnered public attention.
Lee was pregnant when the marriage was announced. She was about 14 weeks pregnant.
Lee publicly recounted their romance. She occasionally addressed marriage on TV and posted family details on social media. Cho stayed behind the scenes rather than becoming a celebrity.
That contrast is remarkable. Lee’s career required publicity, while Cho’s was more private.
Their Son Cho Jung-yoon
The couple welcomed their first child, Cho Jung-yoon, on January 7, 2018.
Their son has occasionally appeared in Lee Si-young’s public conversations about motherhood, travel, education, and family life. He has attended an international school in Songdo, Incheon, and Lee has shared selected moments from their daily routines.
Even after the divorce, the welfare of their son remained a central point of discussion. Both parents indicated that they would continue communicating and cooperating in raising him.
For me, this is one of the more important details in Cho’s family story. His public identity changed dramatically in 2025, but his role as a father did not simply disappear with the end of the marriage.
Divorce From Lee Si-young in 2025
After roughly eight years of marriage, Cho Seong-hyun and Lee Si-young mutually agreed to divorce in 2025.
The divorce was publicly confirmed in March 2025 after proceedings had been initiated through the Seoul Family Court. Lee’s agency described the separation as a mutual decision and asked for privacy.
The timing placed Lee in an unusual professional situation. She was preparing for the release of the drama Salon de Holmes, meaning that her personal life and professional life suddenly collided in the public eye.
Yet she continued working.
The drama premiered on June 16, 2025, with Lee playing Gong Mi-ri, a sharp and energetic woman who becomes part of an amateur detective team in an apartment complex. The series ran for 10 episodes and gave Lee an opportunity to demonstrate a broader range of comedy, action, and emotional acting.
Lee Si-young’s Career After the Divorce
Lee Si-young’s post-divorce period did not become a career retreat. Instead, it looked more like a reset.
Salon de Holmes became her first major drama project following the public announcement of the divorce. The production had largely been completed before the divorce news became public, but its eventual release inevitably carried additional meaning.
Lee also continued presenting herself as an active, athletic personality. Her social media appearances included travel, camping, motorcycle activities, and adventures with her son. Even while navigating major changes in her family life, she maintained the energetic image that had long distinguished her career.
In June 2026, she signed an exclusive contract with ABM Company, beginning another chapter in her professional life. Her representation emphasized her ability to move between action, comedy, and melodrama.
A second season of Salon de Holmes was also being prepared, making the series an important part of her current career trajectory.
The Birth of Cho Seong-hyun’s Daughter
The most unexpected family development came later in 2025.
During their marriage, Cho Seong-hyun and Lee Si-young had created and frozen an embryo through IVF. After the divorce, Lee decided to proceed with implantation as the embryo approached the end of its five-year storage period.
She publicly explained that she made the decision without Cho’s agreement and accepted responsibility for it.
The situation generated considerable discussion because it involved questions about reproductive decisions, consent, parenthood, and responsibility after divorce. Cho initially opposed the pregnancy, but he also stated that he would fulfill his responsibilities as a father and cooperate regarding the children’s upbringing.
Their daughter was born around November 4 or 5, 2025. Lee shared the news publicly while keeping many details private. She used an affectionate nickname for the baby and described her arrival as a gift.
The circumstances surrounding the daughter’s birth make this chapter of the family’s story unusually complicated. At the same time, the parents’ stated commitment to caring for both children provides an important thread of continuity.
Cho Seong-hyun as a Father
Although restaurants, money, and his relationship with Lee Si-young dominate Cho Seong-hyun’s public image, his fatherhood has grown in importance.
His son was born in 2018 and his daughter in 2025. After his divorce, he remained responsible for both children.
That distinction counts. Divorce altered family structure but did not destroy it.
Cho and Lee have tried to communicate with their children despite their separation and later pregnancy, according to public records.
What Is Known About His Extended Family
Compared with the information available about his business activities and marriage, very little is publicly established about Cho Seong-hyun’s family of origin.
There is no substantial public biography detailing his parents, siblings, childhood home, or early family circumstances. This absence is consistent with his status as a private businessman rather than an actor or television personality.
In a culture where celebrity families can become public stories of their own, Cho has generally kept that part of his life out of view.
Cho Seong-hyun and the Family Timeline
| Date | Family or Career Event |
|---|---|
| Around the 1970s | Cho Seong-hyun is believed to have been born |
| His 20s | Enters the restaurant industry |
| Before 2017 | Builds restaurant and franchise businesses |
| September 2017 | Marries Lee Si-young |
| January 7, 2018 | Son Cho Jung-yoon is born |
| 2018 to 2024 | Expands business interests and raises family |
| Early 2025 | Divorce proceedings begin |
| March 2025 | Divorce publicly confirmed |
| June 16, 2025 | Salon de Holmes premieres |
| July 2025 | Lee announces pregnancy involving the frozen embryo |
| November 2025 | Daughter is born |
| June 2026 | Lee signs with ABM Company |
| 2026 | Family life remains focused on co-parenting and privacy |
FAQ
Who is Cho Seong-hyun?
Cho Seong-hyun is a South Korean restaurant entrepreneur and businessman who became publicly known through his marriage to actress Lee Si-young.
How old is Cho Seong-hyun?
His exact birth date is not widely documented, but reports have consistently described him as approximately nine years older than Lee Si-young, placing him in his early 50s during 2025.
When did Cho Seong-hyun and Lee Si-young marry?
They married in September 2017 after announcing their relationship and Lee’s pregnancy.
When did Cho Seong-hyun and Lee Si-young divorce?
Their mutual divorce was publicly confirmed in March 2025 after proceedings were initiated earlier that year.
How many children does Cho Seong-hyun have?
Cho Seong-hyun has two children with Lee Si-young, a son born on January 7, 2018, and a daughter born in November 2025.
Who is Cho Jung-yoon?
Cho Jung-yoon is Cho Seong-hyun and Lee Si-young’s first child, born on January 7, 2018.
When was their daughter born?
Their daughter was born around November 4 or 5, 2025, following Lee Si-young’s decision to implant an embryo that had been frozen during the marriage.
What businesses is Cho Seong-hyun associated with?
He has been associated with restaurant concepts including Yeongcheon Yeonghwa, Palchak Makchang, Saladyoung, and other food and hospitality businesses.
Why is Cho Seong-hyun called Little Baek Jong-won?
The nickname reflects comparisons between his restaurant entrepreneurship and the expansion model associated with famous Korean restaurateur Baek Jong-won.
What is known about Cho Seong-hyun’s parents?
Detailed information about his parents, siblings, childhood, and extended family is not publicly established.
What happened to Lee Si-young’s career after the divorce?
Lee continued acting and starred in Salon de Holmes in 2025, later signing with ABM Company in June 2026 and moving toward another stage of her acting career.
Are Cho Seong-hyun and Lee Si-young still connected?
Although their marriage ended, their connection continues through their two children, with both publicly emphasizing parental responsibility and cooperation in raising them.
