Chairman Jo Seokhwan of NewLike Group.

A man who had taken over the weakened company from his father after a series of management failures, transforming it into one of the top five conglomerates in South Korea. With his polished appearance and unblemished reputation, Seoyeon knew only the most public aspects of his life.

There was, however, one widely known personal detail: his late wife had been Baek Seoran, once hailed as Korea’s “Nation’s Little Sister” and a celebrated actress. Tragically, she had passed away not long after their marriage, leaving him to raise their children alone.

"But why is a …