No one expects a wedding shocker on the most important day of your life. But for more than a year, one groom had been hiding a huge secret from his bride. And at the wedding party, when he began to speak, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Ben Carpenter had just married Sohee Carpenter, when he took the microphone and revealed a secret that no one expected – he could speak Korean.
For his new wife and her Korean parents, it was a gift they didn’t know they were getting. Been had spent more than a year taking Korean language lessons with the sole purpose of surprising his wife and her parents on their wedding day. The TikTok video of the moment quickly went viral.
@bdccarpenter For nearly a year, I have been keeping a big secret from my wife, until our wedding day. I kept sneaking off for 30 minutes at a time for video calls she didn’t know about, or pretending they were for work when they weren’t. In bed I would often put one headphone in so she couldn’t hear what I was doing, and turning my screen away so she couldn’t see either. I set myself a goal of learning just a teeny tiny bit of Korean as a show of respect to her and her family on our wedding day. I wasn’t originally planning on sharing this video from a couple of months ago, because I try to make social media about posting educational content for you all. But, it seems silly not to share one of the most important days of my life. So, here is my full wedding speech, for any of you who are interested. ❤️ #wedding #weddingtiktok #groom #speech #weddingday #bride #korean #korea ♬ original sound – Ben Carpenter
When Ben began his speech, he thanked his family and friends for being there. But, as his new in-laws watched, he continued his speech in the new language he had learned. “To everyone from Sohee’s family, as a show of respect,” he said in Korean, “I have been secretly taking Korean lessons so I can finally speak to you in Korean.” The video show’s Sohee’s mother, sit up a bit and start smiling as she listens to Ben. Both of his in-laws nod and smile as Ben delivers his heartwarming speech.
The groom’s new in-laws can’t contain their joy at their son-in-law and his gift to them – he learned Korean for them. Photo from TikTok
“When Sohee and I first started dating, she told me in Korean culture, dating a foreigner is frowned upon by many Korean people. I was very scared to meet you, because I felt like maybe I wouldn’t be accepted,” Ben continued in Korean. “But I was wrong.”
I’m thankful you’ve accepted me as a new member of the family, and I promise to love and take care of Sohee forever.”
At that point, the video pans to Sohee’s mother, dressed in a white and pink hanbok, who perks up and leans in to listen. Ben explained in the caption of the video that he had been sprinkling in 30-minute lessons throughout the day and studying where Sohee couldn’t see him. Immediately after the speech, his in-laws come up to give him a hug, while his wife can be seen wiping away tears.
His wife got pretty teary. Photo from TikTok
The couple, who work as fitness influencers on social media, had originally eloped but now that they were able to have all their friends and family together, they hosted a second ceremony. Ben said that he had snuck in 30-minute lessons throughout the day, often having to find a hidden spot to study, so Sohee wouldn’t find him.
“In bed I would often put one headphone in so she couldn’t hear what I was doing, and turning my screen away so she couldn’t see either,” he wrote. “I set myself a goal of learning just a teeny tiny bit of Korean as a show of respect to her and her family on our wedding day.” Watch below, as Ben shows how love can be shown in any language.
