"I Feel Like My Blood Is Boiling": Wife Finds Texts From Karaoke Hostess on Husband's Phone [What Do You Think?]

[Financial News] A woman who found text messages exchanged between her husband and a karaoke hostess on his phone after he came home drunk is reportedly wondering whether she can file a lawsuit against the other woman for interfering in her marriage.

On the 21st, YTN Radio's 'Attorney Jo In-seop's Counseling Center' featured the story of Ms. A, who had understood her salesman's frequent late-night returns home but later learned that he had been seeing another woman regularly.

Ms. A said that after her husband moved into sales, he often came home drunk in the early morning, but she thought it was due to the nature of his job. "My husband really enjoys meeting people. He was under a lot of stress while working in an office, but after switching to sales, he said, 'I feel like I can finally breathe again,'" she said. "He often came home in the early morning, and most of the time he was so drunk that he could barely stand. Still, I tried to understand, thinking it was unavoidable given the nature of his work."

One day, her husband fell asleep in the entryway while completely drunk. As Ms. A took off his shoes, she noticed the name of an unfamiliar woman displayed on his phone. When she checked it, she found text messages exchanged with a karaoke hostess. The husband was reportedly seeing the woman regularly and transferring between KRW 250,000 and KRW 300,000 to her each time they met.

Ms. A asked whether she could file a lawsuit based solely on the evidence she had obtained so far. "I feel like my blood is boiling," she said. "The evidence I currently have consists of KakaoTalk messages between the two of them, transaction records showing that my husband sent money to the woman around the times they met, and her account number. I do not know her resident registration number or home address at all. Can I file a lawsuit against her under these circumstances?" she asked for advice.

Attorney Kim Ji-yeon, who reviewed the story, explained that the content of text messages and other materials could help prove infidelity even without direct evidence of sexual relations. "Infidelity is not recognized only when there is direct evidence of sexual relations," she said. "If the text messages contain intimate expressions that go beyond ordinary work-related contact, plans to meet, or expressions of affection, they can be used as circumstantial evidence of infidelity."

Attorney Kim also said that the exchange of money around the times they met could be important circumstantial evidence. "The fact that money was regularly transferred on the dates they met may indicate a relationship that went beyond a simple business relationship," she said. "To strengthen the evidence, it is important to secure specific expressions in the messages that could suggest an intimate relationship between the man and woman. Obtaining additional records, such as the husband's credit card transactions, GPS data, and call logs, would also help prove the case."

She said that if the wife does not know the other woman's address or other personal information, she can use the account number to verify her identity. Attorney Kim explained, "In principle, the defendant's name and address must be identified to file a lawsuit. However, if Ms. A knows the account number, she can hire an attorney and request a court fact-finding inquiry during the preparation stage of the lawsuit." She added, "The account holder's personal information can be confirmed through an inquiry sent to the financial institution. Based on that information, the complaint can be prepared and the lawsuit can proceed."

Attorney Kim explained that evidence showing the husband and the other woman met separately outside the entertainment establishment and exchanged money could be used to prove infidelity. "If it is confirmed that they met outside the entertainment establishment and that money changed hands in connection with those meetings, the court is highly likely to view this as circumstantial evidence of infidelity," she said. "Whether the other woman participated in the affair while knowing that the husband was married is also an important factor in a lawsuit against an affair partner, so it would be advisable to secure evidence of that as well."


[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter