Parenting is truly an endless series of worries, isn’t it? Especially when children are young, even the smallest actions can trigger anxiety, and honestly, all parents feel the same way. There’s a program that has been consistently loved since its first broadcast in May 2020, speaking for the hearts of these parents. It’s Channel A’s ‘My Golden Child‘. With Dr. Oh Eun-young’s clear solutions, many families have shown changes, and I personally have found a lot of empathy and comfort from it.
But did you know that this program is still receiving fervent attention even in 2026? Beyond simply showing children’s problematic behaviors, it reflects various family structures and the reality of parenting in our society, which is why many people still watch and ponder together. Today, I’d like to share my thoughts on the messages this program conveys to us, along with some interesting stories from recent broadcasts.
Enduring Popularity, and Stories of New ‘Golden Children’
Honestly, every week when I see a new ‘Golden Child’ story, I’m often surprised, thinking, ‘Ah, such a situation exists too.’ Among the recently aired content, there was a story about the family of Gwangsu from Season 16 and Hyunsook from Season 22, who gained attention for their appearance on ‘I Am Solo’. The confusing situation of a prospective couple contemplating remarriage and their 5-year-old daughter captivated viewers. In particular, this 5-year-old ‘Golden Child’ showed impulsive behavior, calling an adult male she had just met “Dad!”, which led Dr. Oh Eun-young to warn, “It’s very dangerous for the child.” It was truly heartbreaking to see the emotional confusion the child was experiencing due to the absence of a father and the resulting behaviors.
In addition to these new stories, there was also a family that reappeared after two years. Previously, they struggled with their first child’s issues, but this time, their second child showed aggressive behavior, even spitting on her mother’s face, shocking the studio. These cases make me realize that parenting is truly difficult, and new worries arise at each stage of a child’s development. Although the difficulties each ‘Golden Child’ faces are different, I think it once again makes us realize the importance of communication and understanding within the family.
My Golden Child Solution, Is It Really a ‘Panacea’?
In fact, while the program My Golden Child has gained great popularity and many positive reviews, there have also been consistent concerns. Specialists like Dr. Seo Cheon-seok, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, have pointed out that the solutions presented on the show can instill a ‘fantasy’ that all serious problems can be solved. Due to the nature of broadcasting, which aims to show dramatic changes in a short period, cases that actually require long-term professional treatment and support can appear to be resolved too easily.
Of course, Dr. Oh Eun-young’s sincere advice and prescriptions are clearly a great help to many families. In the case of ADHD, research shows that it can improve by up to 93% with proper treatment. However, I believe we all need to understand that some children truly require a long time and much effort, and sometimes even strong professional approaches like long-term educational hospitalization. Rather than simply expecting everything to be resolved with a ‘Golden Child prescription,’ I think we need to delve deeper into the realistic difficulties of parenting and the necessity of social support systems.
The ‘Golden Child’ Phenomenon, Understood by Millennials and Gen Z: What Lies Beneath?
Interestingly, this program resonates not only with parents who are directly raising children but also, surprisingly, with young viewers in their 20s and 30s. My friends sometimes watch it and say it becomes an opportunity to reflect on themselves, thinking, ‘Did my parents do that when I was young?’ or ‘The root of my personality problems was here.’ Many express that they understand their parents’ behavior through expert analysis and find indirect comfort and healing by identifying their own personality issues.
However, there are also concerns that the term ‘Golden Child’ is being used as a negative buzzword to refer to children with problematic behaviors, potentially leading to children being stigmatized or disparaged. The production team is aware of this and is making various efforts, such as using the term ‘Golden Child’ instead of the children’s real names and disabling video comments to reduce criticism of the participating families. Personally, I believe it’s important for viewers to approach the program with a mindset of understanding children as they are, so that the good intentions of the program are not diminished.
‘My Golden Child’ is more than just a parenting solution; it’s like a mirror reflecting various family problems and the complexities of human relationships in our society. I hope watching the program provides a good opportunity for everyone to reflect on the meaning of parenting and life in their own way.