I never thought I would actually go through a divorce lawsuit, but experiencing it firsthand, I realized that knowledge is truly power.

I spent a lot of time agonizing over it alone, searching through online communities, before finally consulting with a law firm in Gangnam. I’d like to share a few pieces of practical information I learned during that consultation.

Especially if you have children, there are many things you need to firmly establish to prevent any backlash later on.

Designating parental rights and custody is a given. However, if you don't clearly define the amount and method of child support payments, as well as the detailed schedule for visitation rights—such as how the child will be seen on weekends—from the start, it is highly likely that disputes will arise later.

The most headache-inducing part is property division. I heard that this involves assessing the 'contribution' to the assets accumulated jointly by both parties during the marriage, regardless of who is at fault.

On the other hand, demanding compensation for emotional distress from the spouse at fault—such as for infidelity or verbal abuse—is considered 'alimony for pain and suffering,' so you must approach this completely separately to avoid losing out in court. Even if you think you roughly understand it when reading about it, when you actually face that situation, you might feel completely lost because the other party might siphon off assets.

Don't suffer in silence like I did, staying up until dawn searching on your phone. If you feel you have been wronged, I highly recommend taking your documents to a professional for a review first.