Kwon Sang-woo’s Son Drives Luxury Car: Parents Speak Out

Kwon Sang-woo and his wife Son Tae-young revealed their 17-year-old son, Rookhee, now drives a luxury foreign car worth tens of millions of won after getting his driver’s license. The couple shared this news publicly, admitting both relief and worry. Their son now handles his own trips to school and soccer practice, no longer needing rides from mom or dad.

Does that sound like a small family update? Maybe.

But this story taps into something bigger about Korean celebrity culture, teen independence, and the pressures that come with growing up wealthy and visible. Let’s unpack what’s really going on here.

A Teen, A Luxury Car, and a Parent’s Worry

Rookhee, the eldest son of Kwon Sang-woo and Son Tae-young, recently earned his driver’s license. Soon after, he started driving a foreign luxury car to school and soccer meetups.

That’s a fast jump from learner’s permit to expensive wheels. For most 17-year-olds anywhere, driving a car worth tens of millions of won would raise eyebrows.

Kwon Sang-woo himself expressed mixed feelings about this milestone. He and Son Tae-young called it a “graduation from the ride” — meaning they no longer needed to drive their son everywhere.

Yet convenience came paired with concern. Handing car keys to a teenager, especially with an expensive vehicle, naturally invites parental anxiety.

Isn’t that true for any parent, regardless of income level? The stakes just look different when the car costs more than most people’s annual salary.

Kwon Sang-woo and Son Tae-young’s Public Parenting Moment

Kwon Sang-woo has long been one of Korea’s most recognizable actors, known for his roles in films and dramas since the early 2000s. Son Tae-young, also a well-known actress, has built her own public profile alongside him.

Together, they represent one of Korea’s most visible celebrity couples. Their family life often draws public attention, especially updates involving their children.

This latest reveal about Rookhee fits a familiar pattern. Korean celebrity parents frequently share family milestones through interviews or media appearances, and audiences respond with genuine curiosity.

Kwon Sang-woo’s comments about his son’s driving habits went viral quickly after the report from Maeil Business Newspaper. Why does something this personal spread so fast?

Because celebrity family stories offer a relatable window into fame. Even wealthy, famous parents worry about the same things regular parents do — safety, responsibility, and letting go.

Kwon Sang-woo’s honesty about his worry humanizes him. It reminds readers that fame doesn’t erase basic parental instincts.

Why “Graduating from the Ride” Matters in Korea

In Korea, parents driving their children to school, sports practice, and after-school academies is extremely common. This “ride culture” often continues well into a teen’s high school years, partly due to demanding academic schedules and safety concerns.

So when Kwon Sang-woo and Son Tae-young describe their son’s new independence as “graduating,” the phrase carries real cultural weight. It signals a shift many Korean families quietly celebrate.

Teen driving in Korea comes with strict requirements. Getting a license at 17 or 18 involves formal training, written exams, and road tests — not a quick process.

Once licensed, though, teens gain significant freedom almost overnight. One day you’re waiting for mom’s car; the next, you’re driving yourself to soccer practice (parents everywhere know this particular flavor of bittersweet).

For Kwon Sang-woo’s family, this transition happened with an added twist: the car itself. A luxury foreign vehicle changes the conversation from simple independence to broader questions about wealth, safety, and public perception.

Would a regular family’s teenager driving a modest car generate this much attention? Probably not — and that gap says something about how Korean media covers celebrity life differently.

Celebrity Kids, Wealth, and Growing Up in Public

Growing up as the child of famous parents brings unique pressures. Every milestone — first license, first car, first solo drive — becomes public content rather than a private family moment.

Kwon Sang-woo’s decision to share this story invites both admiration and scrutiny. Some readers will focus on the luxury car; others will focus on the parents’ honest worry.

That tension reflects something worth sitting with. Wealth can offer real advantages — safety features, reliable vehicles, fewer financial anxieties — but it doesn’t remove the emotional weight of watching your child gain independence.

A parent’s fear when handing over car keys doesn’t disappear just because the car is expensive; if anything, the stakes can feel higher. At the same time, this story shows something quietly hopeful: even amid privilege, parents like Kwon Sang-woo model open communication about risk and responsibility rather than pretending everything is fine.

That honesty, shared publicly, might actually help other parents — famous or not — feel less alone in their own worries about teens behind the wheel. Korean society often prizes image and appearances, especially among public figures, yet moments like this crack that image open just enough to reveal something universal underneath.

Where does this leave us? Kwon Sang-woo’s family story isn’t really about the car at all.

It’s about the universal, sometimes uncomfortable process of letting a child grow up. Every parent, regardless of fame or fortune, eventually faces that same moment of releasing control.

What do you think about how celebrity families like Kwon Sang-woo’s balance privacy and public sharing when it comes to their children’s milestones?

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